A Brief Alliance
by Fractured Dreams
Summary: The Akatsuki are about to attack. A new, and unexpected alliance will be forged between two old enemies. Could this result in victory, or more betrayal? Sas x Naru and others.
1. prologue

Warning: may contain some violence

Pairing: eventual Sas/nar

Rating: T

Disclaimer: tragically, I don't own Naruto and probably never will…oh well..but this fanfic is mine!(she says, gleefully!)

This is my first fanfic so please bear with me while you check it out! Reviews and comments welcome and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them. Everything will be considered. Enjoy!

Prologue

The sky blazed with fire; sunset had arrived in Konoha, casting it into golden light and shadow. A lone figure was walking down a quiet street, carrying something in his arms.

The men and women of Konoha stopped, stared, and murmured to each other as Kakashi trudged wearily down the street, exhaustion gripping every muscle. He looked down at the limp figure in his arms, with one arm draped across his chest and the other dangling uselessly. Regret and sorrow gripped Kakashi's heart as he looked at his student. How could he have been so blind? He should have known something like this would happen.

Sasuke and Naruto had reminded him acutely of how he and Obito had once been. Together, they competed for dominance over the other, always striving to prove themselves the stronger of the two. Naruto possessed the same never-ending energy and fire that Obito had had. He had the same thirst to prove himself, to prove his worth to the world. Naruto and Obito both strove for acknowledgement.

Kakashi had scorned Obito, thinking him worthless and weak like everyone else. He had been so naïve. That friendship/rivalry had ended in tragedy and disaster, much like this one just had.

Naruto was still limp in his arms, still slackly unconscious. His head had fallen back, and the golden glow of the setting sun washed upon his face, creating a halo out of that blonde hair. What would this mean? What would happen next?

Again, Kakashi berated himself for his blindness, his stupidity. He had focused on Sasuke, knowing the power he could possess, the man he could one day become. He had been talented, a genius ninja. In turn, Kakashi had not paid as much attention to Naruto, or Sakura, when they were the ones who had really needed his guidance. He had been blind to Sasuke's anger and his thirst for power. As a result, Sasuke was gone, tempted into betraying his village by promises of power.

Sighing, he shook his head. There was no use mourning the past. What was done was done. There was no way he could change what was past, no matter how much he wanted to.

Arriving in the foyer of Konoha's hospital, he turned Naruto over to the waiting nurses and Shizune and watched as he was rushed away into emergency care. Now he had difficult tasks to perform. He needed to report to the Fifth, and let her know about the loss of the last Uchiha. Then he needed to inform Sakura of the news concerning her teammates. He sighed again as he thought about the enormity of the job, and rubbed a hand through his hair. Neither prospect was pleasant.

Darkness. Only darkeness. All that could be heard was his own breathing, steady and even. Then he felt glowing warmth spread through his body, although he could not see its source. Nevertheless, he accepted it anyway, and sunk into the security of the warmth. Following his acceptance came an absent coolness. Detachment. Vaguely he recognized somebody sobbing quietly. Then nothing. Now came the voices he heard in his head, unrecognizable at first, then gradually they became clearer. Snippets of a familiar conversation, flashes of memories. Strangely, he felt none of the emotions that he knew should accompany such memories. It was as if he was another person, a spectator, watching from the sidelines as the battle unfolded.

_You were my best friend….._

_You're coming back, even if I have to drag you back….._

_Dead last….._

_We all risked our lives to save you…._

**_SASUKE!_**

He opened his eyes. A bright, blurry light filled his vision. Blinking, he waited until his eyes focused. 'Where was he?'

He turned his head and looked out the window, seeing a tree, then the buildings of Konoha beyond. He was home. Which meant…he had failed. Where was Sasuke?

'_He's gone….' _A small voice whispered in his mind. '_He's gone to Orochimaru…'_

He stared at the ceiling again, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest, almost cutting his breath in half.

_He's gone…_

Pain made his throat tight, and tears leaked out of his eyes. Angrily, he wiped them away. Crying did not change anything, nor would it make things better. Closing his eyes, Naruto felt he was almost drowning in emotions of overwhelming strength. Anger, disbelief, sadness and pain. It was only another wound to add to an already scarred heart. Only another scar to try and heal.

_He's gone……._

His best friend, his rival, and the person he had secretly looked up to and respected. The person he had wanted to be like. His rival, his companion, his what? It did not matter anymore. That part of his life was over, to be kept only as painful memories.

The door slid open and he turned his head to see who had intruded on his silence. Shikamaru. The laziest ninja walked into the room and sat on a chair beside the bed. Shikamaru looked nothing like the person he normally was. Instead, Naruto saw a serious, yet slightly relieved chuunin.

The silence stretched between them for a few long moments. _He was alive. What of the others?_

"Naruto.." Shikamaru began.

"What?"

Naruto turned his gaze upwards once more, staring at the bare seiling and its sole light.

"I thought you might want to know that the others are all still alive. Injured, but alive."

Naruto nodded.

"That's good. Thank you."

"And Naruto? You did well. Don't be too hard on yourself." Shikamaru said over his shoulder before sliding the door closed behind him.

Naruto closed his eyes and swallowed around the lump in his throat. He'd failed. He had not been strong enough when it had really counted. He'd failed Sakura, he'd failed to keep his promise to her. He'd let down all his team mates. They had placed their trust in him and risked their lives delaying the enemy so he could complete the mission successfully.

Sitting up slowly and ignoring his screaming muscles, he stared numbly at the hands in his lap as he felt his emotions slowly becoming numb.

"I need you help….." he whispered.

"I thought you might." Replied the white haired frog hermit who was currently perched on his window sill.


	2. Seeking Release

Ha! Finally! Chapter one is ready!Before I go much futher, I think I should explain a few things. I actually started to write this as a different story, and posted a prologue. Soon after I was struck by a terrible case of writers block. But recently, I got reinspired and got busy! I reposted the same prologue, and began to write chapter one! Confused? So am i. Never mind. Anyways, on to the story! If you want to review you'll make a poor struggling writer extremely thrilled! If you want to flame, then go ahead, I can't stop you! But I can laugh at you! Constructive criticism is very welcome and if you have any suggestions for plot, etc. please, please, please, share them with me! Be kind to the newby author!

Enough of my drabble! Onto the first chapter!

_**Look away**_

_**Look away from the past**_

_**Think ahead**_

_**Think ahead so you'll last another day**_

_**And the days are so long**_

_**And you'll get by**_

_**But getting by is just another way to say half dead**_

**_And you think you'd rather live your life instead_**

**_Of just getting by_**

_**Don't you know,**_

_**Don't you know its bound to keep you up all night**_

_**Wonderin' where and how it all went wrong that night**_

_**It all went wrong**_

_**So keep in mind**_

_**Keep in mind you're not to blame**_

_**Bitter tears**_

_**Bitter tears can fall like rain**_

_**On your fields**_

_**And those fields need that rain**_

_**So look away**_

_**And think ahead**_

_**And live your life**_

_**And cry those tears**_

_**Cry bitter tears….**_

_Bitter Tears by Shawn Mullins_

Chapter One: Seeking an Escape

Seven years later……

Naruto turned onto his back, the sheets rustling crisply as he did. Sleep did not come easily these days. Tonight it had not come at all. Out side his window, bright starlight beckoned to him invitingly. Unable to resist, he sat up and got dressed slowly in the dark before disappearing out the window and into the night.

He already knew where he was headed. The old meeting place of team seven, the bridge. It was not used as team sevens meeting place any more. That team had been disbanded years ago.

Naruto contemplated his recent promotion from normal Anbu into Anbu captain. He had not expected such a transition, nor had he wanted it that much. When _that _person had disappeared so had that phase of his life, as well as his old ambition and his dreams. Childish dreams they had been too. Hopeful fantasy, created to provide an unwanted and unloved child with hope for the future. His efforts had been futile. Naïve and ignorant. He knew better now. Life was too hard, too difficult when one had an unachievable dream. It was better to aim for what could be achieved, goals that could actually be reached.

Naruto reached the bridge, and hoisted himself onto its railing to stare into its lazily flowing water below his feet.

Things were so different now. After that unsuccessful mission, he had trained non-stop with Jiraiya, his thirst for knowledge and skills becoming almost an overwhelming obsession. He must not fail; never again would he let teammates down, never again would he fail a friend through weakness, or break a promise. He must remain strong, if not for himself, then for the people who depended on his strength. Naruto knew this was becoming an unhealthy obsession and yet he could do nothing to get rid of it.

He had become powerful, and he was proud of his strength, but not in a boastful way. That would be arrogance and arrogance was a dangerous trait in a shinobi. He had learned that the hard way. But he'd worked hard for his strength, sacrificing his leisure time and sometimes his health in order to train and complete missions. He had been an insomniac for quite awhile now, so it was a convenient way to pass time. He'd _earned _his place within the village, and was respected amongst his peers and fellow shinobi, if not by the villagers themselves. That was enough.

Although he had tried not to change too much, he knew he was different. Most of the time he could remain himself, with a bright, friendly smile. He no longer bounced off walls though. That would mean he had excessive energy, which could be used for training. But on the inside, he felt different. He felt tired. Tired, alone, and empty. Half dead. Or half-alive. Whichever way you looked at it he was different. He was sickened by the act he had to put on for others. It was easy, wearing his anbu mask, but it drained him emotionally, making him feel like he could break into thousands of pieces. He felt fragile. Nightmares plagued his sleep. He knew he should probably speak to someone about it, do something about it, but he could not bring himself to admit he needed help. That would be weakness.

He could not bring himself to let go of the pain he felt. Never would he let it go. And he knew where this pain came from. It was an old pain, and a pain he knew well.

_Sasuke……_

His face haunted his sleep, always in his mind, never far from his thoughts. He'd never forgotten Sasuke. His was the face he saw when his tired arm threw another kunai into a target. His face was the one he saw when he could hardly defend himself anymore from enemy attack, and that kept him from giving in. His face, was the face that kept him from failing. The hurt from that betrayal had never failed, nor lessened with time. Neither had the anger. That anger burned strong and constant. It was what kept him from complete breakdown.

_I still miss you…._

He missed the way they competed against each other, the way they'd always trade insults, or the way they always had to best the other. No day had ever been the same, from sunrise to sunset. When Sasuke had been around, naruto had had something to live for. He had been full of fierce ambition to be the best, to win. Now he was among the best, but the position held no joy.

_It wasn't worth the price………_

After that painful event, Naruto had tried to forget, and most of the time, he could put it in the back of his mind and take his mind off him so that he wasn't constantly reliving that memory. But it was nights like these when he felt his loneliness and his pain more than normal. Instead of constantly mourning the loss of his closest friend, he devoted himself to caring for his friends and training. He'd been there for Sakura at every point, helping her in her sorrow, being the shoulder to cry on, and the best man at her wedding to lee. As a result, they shared a brother/ sister closeness, but it wasn't the same. He was no longer the lovesick boy he had once been. He was now a man, with more responsibilities and duties than he cared to think about at the moment. Sakura had trained under Tsunade, and had become an expert in illusionary techniques and healing procedures. His other friends and peers had become skilled jounin, anbu members or teachers at the academy. He had many friends now, and people who cared about him and respected him, and he was extremely grateful to them. He had a life with people who cared about him, which was more than he'd had as a child. And yet, he still felt as if something was missing, as if he was disjointed from reality.

He'd watched as they'd all slowly forgotten about Sasuke. They'd all moved on. But he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to, or how much he tried.

_It's not the same without you. I miss you………_

With a sigh, Naruto rubbed his eyes. Tonight was not a night to be alone. Not with these thoughts and memories. He needed company. He knew who to go to. And he knew where he'd be.

scene break!--------------

Jiraiya sat on top of the hokage monument, happily puffing on his pipe as he lay on his back and contemplated the recent happenings in Konoha. They were building a new bathhouse in Konoha, seeing as the old one had been destroyed during a battle involving a man who, in Jiraiya's opinion, had a few screws loose and had been taking some substances which he clearly shouldn't have been messing with. He'd have to go "researching" at the new bathhouse, he grinned to himself. Lots of promising potential had surfaced in konoha of late, and despite Tsunade blatantly forbidding Jiraiya not to go peeking on pain of death, the temptation was just too great. He just wouldn't do it when there were people around to see and to blab. What she doesn't know won't hurt her right?

"Hey Ero-sennin. Mind if I join you?" a voice asked from the darkness behind him. Jiraiya knew who it was without turning.

"Aren't you a little old for name calling Naruto? I think its time you gave your poor old teacher the respect he deserves" Jiraiya asked, put out.

Naruto grinned.

" Since when have you been poor and old, you pervert? And anyway, if you are so old why are you still peeking at girls less than half your age?" Naruto retorted playfully.

"Hummph. That is completely irrelevant.What brings you out here tonight, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Naruto shrugged as he sat down next to his former sensei.

"I have no missions for the next few days, I thought I'd stay up for awhile and fit in some extra training." He replied.

Jiraiya sighed inwardly. He knew the real reason. Naruto hid his insomnia from everyone, but the people who knew him best, had read the signs and knew what was going on. He'd grown up a lot over the past seven years. Gone was the energetic, hyperactive child he'd once known, who'd been eager to unlock the secrets of the future. In his place was a shadow of his former self, a quieter, more reserved Naruot. One who pretended to be happy and spirited, but on the inside was deeply unhappy. Jiraiya saw through the act. He knew Naruto. The boy was worn thin, exhausted, both emotionally and psychologically. Tonight, he wasn't acting though. Tonight, Jiraiya only saw a tired man, who's thinking had driven him to seek company to escape the thoughts and memories that haunted him. He knew what was wrong with him. After all, Jiraiya had experienced the same betrayal, years before when Orochimaru had left. He'd experienced the same emotions and doubts. But he had moved on and found his own way. Naruto had found his own way also, but he hadn't moved on. This led Jiraiya to suspect that there was something more going on than what he, or anyone else for that matter had been told. But, he kept his thoughts to himself. There was no use bringing it up with Naruto. He preferred to battle his demons alone.

He looked over at his former student once more as he gazed up at the stars. Gone was the trademark orange tracksuit. Instead, he wore black cargo-style pants with the large pockets for equipmen, and a black t-shirt, with fishnet sleeves over his forearms. He wore Konoha sandals and the fingerless gloves with metal strips over the backs. There was no sign of his hiate, but he had no need of one. Anbu members were not required to where the Konoha headband, as they were easily recognizable from their black robes and masks. Naruto did not carry his mask now, nor was he wearing the black robe over his clothes. Tonight, he was just himself, not the young Anbu captain, or even a ninja. Just a man, looking for an escape. Yes, he had grown a lot. He was a tall man, taller than most, but still shorter than Jiraiya. He was broad shouldered, and strong, with lean muscles, and a handsome face. He had none of childhood chubbiness, and his face was no longer as round. Instead, it was lean and handsome. His eyes had only gotten bluer, his hair more golden, and his skin more brown. In fact, he was a very handsome young man, who looked remarkable like the fourth hokage, with his hair as long and as shaggy as it was. Many would have remarked upon it had they seen it. Most of the time though, he kept it hidden by his Anbu mask and the hood of his robe.

Naruto had gotten rid of that ridiculous tracksuit after Sasuke had left. In fact, it was like he had disregarded practically everything after he had left, as if saying ' that part of my life is over now, and so must go all the things associated with him'. That included the more boisterous side of his personality as well. It had been locked away, never to see daylight again. Jiraiya found himself missing the old naruto, even though if he had said that awhile back, he would have either laughed himself silly or killed himself in a frustrated rage. Jiraiya knew better than to bring up the subject of Sasuke though. Whenever that name was mentioned, Naruto's eyes would go hard and with anger and behind that, a hurt that ran so deep inside him that it had become a part of who naruto was.

"I heard about your recent promotion to Captain. Congratulations." Jiraiya commented casually.

"But that was months ago…" Naruto pointed out, confused, only to be smacked across the back of his head with a clenched fist.

"What was that for?" Naruto asked indignantly.

"I've been gone for more than half a year on that ridiculous mission that Tsunade sent me on you baka!" He said irritably.

"Oh yeah! I forgot! Sorry!" Narutot said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with a smile. "It wasn't that big of a deal. The other captain retired and they needed someone to fill the job."

"I doubt that your promotion was solely for those reasons. They wouldn't have picked you if you didn't have the necessary qualities for the job" Jiraiya pointed out.

"I suppose." Naruto reluctantly agreed. Jiraiya suspected it was only because he wanted to change the topic but he let it pass without comment.

"Why are you out here, Ero-sennin?" Naruto asked after a few moments of silence.

"Me?" Jiraiya grinned" I'm a creature of the night Naruto! It's when I function best!"

"Pervert!" Naruto muttered beneath his breath. They lapsed into a long period of comfortable silence, both lost in their own thought, as they relaxed together beneath a night sky. After a while, a deep reluctant sigh sounded from Jiraiya, as if he'd just made up his mind about something. Naruto looked over at him curiously, and waited to hear the explaination which he knew was coming.

"They didn't want me to tell this…" Jiraiya sighed.

TBC…….

Soz to end on such a cliffy, but I didn't want to make it too long. Its already 5 pages! Anyways, plz review and tell a poor girl what you think! Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!


	3. Daunting Prospects

Well, I finally got off my lazy ass and decided to write the next chapter of a brief alliance. I kinda ran out of inspiration when I started my second story, but now I need to get away from that one and work on this one a little more. So yea, heres the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Thanks goes to**

**Naughty sensei: **yet again, she has read both my stories and review! My most loyal fan yet!awww…..i'm your faithful servant forever!

**Crimson koibito: **who I just realised has also read both my fics, so hugs for you too! Thanx for your review!

So those are the only reviews I got for this story so far……..oh well! I'm still glad you review! Plz keep reading! Love you all!

**Disclaimer: **Well, we all lnow it, and most of us are in terrible states of denial and mourning, but naruto doesn't belong to me, a fact which I'm still trying to deal with. At least no one can sue me now…….

**Warnings: **violence, swearing, and love. That's right, love. Shounen ai, to be more specific. Can't say I didn't warn you….but there's also girlxboy as well (whats the Japanese term for het couples anyway? Can anyone tell me?) Anyway, moving on…..here's chapter two!

Oh and by the way, there's going to be song lyrics included randomly because I love song lyrics and poems- a strange obsession I know, but there you go!

* * *

Chapter 2: _Daunting prospects_

_Life it seems, will fade away_

_Drifting further every day_

_Getting lost within myself_

_Nothing matters, no one else_

_I have lost the will to live_

_Simply nothing more to give_

_There is nothing more for me_

_Need the end to set me free_

Jiraiya puffed on his pipe again, before meeting Naruto's eyes squarely.

"The Akatsuki are on the move again. The time we've been waiting for has finally begun" he mused quietly.

Naruto absorbed this, not really shocked at all. It had been years ago that Itachi and his partner had come for him. After Sasuke had left, Jiraiya had explained about that dreaded organization, and more specifically, why they were after him. The expected attacks had not come. Information sources had been wrong it seemed; they had never attacked after three years of waiting. Either that or the Akatsuki had discovered the leak, and decided to wait. It was not important though.

"Does Gaara of the sand know?" Naruto asked Jiraiya.

"He does. It was his village which informed us of their emergence." Was the answer.

"Why didn't they tell me?"

"I suppose it's because they want to confirm for themselves before getting you involved. It could be a false alarm of course."

"That or they still don't trust me." Naruto paused. "You sound as if you don't agree with them?"

"That's because I don't. I think you should have been told. Forewarned is forearmed. Or so they say. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to wait for orders. I have duties and responsibilities to attend to. I can't just desert them. Until then, I'd better fit some training in hadn't I?"

Jiraiya looked at him with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Awhile back you would've been the first to charge off looking for a fight, and a challenge." He commented.

Naruto stood up, a small smile tugging the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, well, awhile ago, things were different. Thanks for the warning, ero-sennin." Was his reply before disappearing into the darkness once more.

Naruto dismissed his Anbu members from the long and tedious briefing. He rubbed his eyes, feeling a painful headache coming on. It had been a long, tiring day, and despite his exhaustion, he knew he would not get much sleep that night. His insomnia had not improved over the past week, but he hadn't expected his condition to go away anytime soon.

"Captain," a voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up into Neji's pale eye.

"Why so formal Neji? We've been friends for years now and you know how I feel about this." Naruto said, running a hand through his messy hair.

"You are the Captain now, Naruto. You deserve the respect."

"You sound as if you disapprove of my being captain Neji." Naruto commented looking once more into the pale eyes.

Neji hesitated for the briefest of moments until deciding to explain himself.

"Its just that…I don't think you should be working so hard. You're not sleeping well and…"

"It's okay, Neji, I can handle it." Naruto said, smiling.

"To be brutally honest, I don't think you can. You're exhausted, mentally, physically, and…emotionally."

"You doubt me Neji? I hope you're not planning to have me removed?" Naruto said, joking half-heartedly and deciding to ignore Neji's prognosis.

"Naruto-kun. You know that I'm completely loyal to you, and I am happy to serve under you. But there's a reason why there has never been an Anbu captain as young as you before. I just don't understand why you're driving yourself so hard."

Naruto looked away out the window, as he felt the familiar tightness in his chest and the lump in his throat.

"Because there are people who depend on me Neji, and I won't let them down."

Naruto stood up.

"This is about that mission isn't it?" Neji asked, as if realizing something for the first time.

"What mission?" Naruto asked as he feigned indifference and turned away to clean the blackboard.

"With Sasuke. Isn't it about time you forget about him? Its been seven years, Naruto! You can't hang onto the past forever!"

Naruto stiffened when Neji said his name and turned around. His eyes were incredibly cold, reminding Neji of ice. These were words that Naruto had told himself, over and over again to no avail. He had tried so hard. It hadn't worked. Nothing had.

"I have forgotten him Neji."

_I've forgotten what it feels like when he's around. I've forgotten his touch, his scent, his rare smiles. Yes I've forgotten. And I never realized until he was gone that I was in love with him. Too late…………_

"No you haven't Naruto. Why do your eyes go so cold and angry when his name is said? Why do you never talk of him, and change the topic whenever people talk of him?" Neji asked gently, watching him.

Naruto swung on his black Anbu cloak, feeling cold and vulnerable. His throat was almost impossible tight, and memories were threatened to overwhelm him. If Neji hadn't been there he probably would've destroyed something. His tears had long since dried up. But his heart was still weeping at the loss. Great rivers of sorrow, which coursed through his soul, tormenting him.

"I'm speaking as a friend Naruto. It's for your own good." Neji continued. "He's not coming back. He is gone. Forget him, because he's certainly forgotten you."

"Shut up!" Naruto exploded, letting his anger take over for once. Those were the words he had not said to himself, the thoughts he'd denied for so long.

_He's forgotten you………_

"Just shut up!"

Naruto had Neji pinned against the wall now, gripping his clothes so tightly his fist were shaking and white. Hot venom flooded through his body, his gut clenching painfully.

"You don't know what you're talking about! You will never know what its like so don't act like you do!" Naruto hissed.

"But it's the truth and we both know it," Neji whispered, softly, his eyes gentle and sad. A fist made his head slam against the wall, and he slid down to the ground groggily. Those pale, all seeing eyes looked up at an irate Naruto, as he trembled with rage.

"Look at you. This is not the reaction of one who's in control Naruto." Neji said as he sat up and held his throbbing jaw.

Naruto felt his rage dimming and receding, leaving him empty and drained. He turned towards the door, placing his mask in place.

"You can't hide behind that mask forever, Naruto, nor can you keep running." Neji told him, standing at last.

"What am I supposed to do, Neji? What am I supposed to do?" Naruto whispered dully, disappearing out the door.

He ran. And he kept running. He ran as if he could escape his past, s if he could leave it all behind through the simple act of running. He ran until his heart pounded painfully, his breath rasped dryly in his lungs and his muscles begged for mercy. He ran until he could run no further.

_Things are not what they used to be_

_Missing one inside of me_

_Deathly lost, this can't be real_

_Cannot stand this hell I feel_

_Emptiness is filling me_

_To the point of agony_

_Growing darkness taking dawn_

_I was me but now he's gone_

Finally, he collapsed in the middle of a clearing, the silence enclosing all around him. Neji's words would not leave him. They would not stop echoing in his mind. He knew Neji was right. In his heart, he knew. But how was he supposed to move on? How was he supposed to leave it all behind when such a large part of his life was missing?

Breathing harshly, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the sky. Clouds were gathering. It would rain tonight, he realized.

Now that he had stopped running, he began to shiver as his body cooled down.

Was he making a big deal out of nothing? Was he being melodramatic, or was it really that easy to forget? To move on?

Maybe……..maybe, he didn't have to forget. He had people he cared about, and people who cared about him. He had close friends, almost an adoptive family. He had a job, an important one he enjoyed the majority of the time.

Naruto blinked, as it all began to fall into place. He had been trying to find a replacement for Sasuke, something to fill the void which he had left behind. But there was no one like him, and there never would be again. There was no point in trying to replace him. It was impossible. He had his memories of him, the times they'd shared. No one could take them away. Remembering would not bring him back- nothing would. But that didn't mean he his life was completely empty, much less over. He had his duties, and he had his friends. That would be enough for now. He had by no means found a way to move on. The pain was still there, and the sorrow. But perhaps, if he was patient enough, a solution would come to him. If he concentrated on the little things right now, and not think about the past, it would help a little and he would learnt to cope, to live with the pain. It bought nothing but trouble if he constantly lived in the past. It brought too much pain. It was too troublesome.

Naruto smiled slightly. _I'm starting to sound like shikamaru._

He was a fool. He had been ignoring all the good things he had, and the offers of comfort from other so he could wallow in self pity and memories. He'd been holding onto a ghost, a wisp of smoke which had long since been lost to the wind.

Sitting up, he shivered again, the cold wind chilling him through. He should get back. Dark was falling and a drizzle was falling, coating everything in dampness. He needed to find Neji and appologise. And to thank his friend for bringing him to his senses and making him see the truth.

Naruto looked up at the sky and squinted to stop drizzled getting into his eyes. Now, how to get back to Konoha? He'd run so fast and far that he'd gotten himself lost. Typical. Sighing he picked a direction and started off.

Naruto had gone straight home once reaching Konoha and had taken a quick shower and changed into a clean set of clothes.

Now, he was at the door of Neji's house on the Hyuuga estate.

Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister and Neji's cousin opened the door and blinked at him in surprise. Naruto smiled at her. He knew her well, seeing as two of her family were among his closest friends.

"Hi hanabi. Is Neji here?" he asked

"He's not here at the moment. He came home a short while ago then left again. Said something about a dinner?" Hanabi said, scrunching up her face in thought.

_Dinner? What dinner? Wait………Sakura said something…No! Sakura and lee are having a dinner tonight! Some announcement or something. I remember now! I wasn't going to go, but I think….maybe I will. I'd like to see them all. Its been awhile._

His mind made up, he smiled at Hanabi and wished her a goodnight before dashing off.

* * *

Phhewww! Another chapter done! There you go! Imight actually post another one tonight. Who knows? The song I used in this chapter is _Fade to black by Metallica._ A great song and I will tell you the names of all the other songs when I use them, so if you like the lyrics you can download them yourself. I do that all the time! Anyways, Hope you enjoyed! Reiview! 


	4. Midnight Melancholy

Okies, here's chapter three! I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the next chapter, because me beloved internet connection is screwing up and I'm about to have a nervous break down! My poor computer!NOOOOOOO!

Anyway, thanks for the reviews, to anyone who reviewed (sorry, I'd use your names but as I said the net isn't working too well at the moment. Forgive me!)

**Diclaimer:** Not mine! As is commonly known now……

**Warnings: ** yaoi, angst, some violence, etc. you know the deal. Don't like, don't read!

This chapter hasn't got much in the way of plot development, but I wanted to put it in anyway. Rest assured that the next chapter is relevant, and hopefully, more interesting and written better than this one way! Gomen if you don't like!

* * *

Chapter 3: _Midnight Melancholy  
_

The rain was getting harder now, and he hurried to reach the shelter of Sakura's apartment block before he got any wetter. The door opened after he knocked. He could hear loud laughter and talking as lee answered. He smiled at lee's clear delight.

"Naruto! Sakura told me you weren't coming!" He grinned.

"I wasn't going to, but I changed my mind," Naruto grinned at his old friend.

He'd always had respect for lee's fighting ability, even if he had cringed at his over enthusiastic ways and that horrible spandex outfit. Things had changed though. Lee had changed drastically. He had lost the bowl cut and now wore his hair shorter and spike. His eyebrows had been neatened up, thanks to Sakura. He wore the normal Jounin uniform. Even his attitude had changed somewhat.. He was still energetic and babbled about the "spring time of life" and other crap, but he did it now because he knew it made others cringe and he loved to laugh at their embarrassment. It was like a joke between everyone now. The sad thing was that Gai sensei still did take it seriously. But Lee was still enthusiastic, but his manner had toned down, and he was more calm. Whether that was because of the constant beatings he received from the women, or whether or not he had changed because he wanted to was another matter completely, one which was still a mystery to Naruto. It seemed that he had outgrown the habits of his youth, and was now relatively normal. If any of his friends could be considered normal.

"Come in, come in. Dinner's almost ready. You're just in time," lee said as he stepped back to let Naruto enter.

His friends greeted him enthusiastically; he received warm hugs from the girls, and friendly slaps on the back from the guys. It was good to be around these people again, good to be with his friends. For once, he felt the first stirrings of hope; maybe he could be happy one day.

After a few minutes of greetings, Naruto looked around and found Neji leaning against a wall with a small smile on his face. He was sporting a nasty looking split, swollen lip, and Naruot instantly felt guilty and upset. He had hit one of his friends; he had hurt one of his closest friends. Neji had always been there for him, and he had always been loyal. Naruto knew that Neji cared deeply for him. They were almost like brothers now.

Sighing, Naruto made his way over to the man, and leaned against the wal with him. Neither said anything for a few moments.

"Neji," he began.

"Don't bother to apologize, Naruto."

"What?" he asked confused.

"It's okay. Somebody needed to bring you to your senses. I'm glad it was me. So no apology is necessary."

"Why though?"

"Because I once knew a boy who brought me to my senses. He made me stop punishing others because of my own pain and confusion. I felt I should repay the favor." Neji turned those pale eyes on him now, and Naruto met them, slightly uncomfortable. "These people need you Naruto. They worry about you. Show them that you appreciate them. They need that."

Naruto thought about this for a moment, deeply touched by his words.

"You're right, Neji. I will do that. And I'm sorry….for what I said earlier."

"It's okay. It's not the first time I've been on the receiving end of your punches."

Naruto laughed, and slung his arms around Neji's shoulder.

"Perhaps we should do some more training together, toughen you up abit."

"Possibly. But I'm not sure you could handle the pace." Neji retaliated, and Naruto laughed again, only to stop when Neji looked at him, a sad smile on his face.

"Its been so long since you laughed, Naruto. You should do it more often." He said quietly.

Naruto froze, for a moment before relaxing slightly, pain and sadness warring with his newfound contentment, and pleasure at Neji's words.

"I'll try Neji." .

"Dinner's ready!" came Ino's call from the dining room.

"Food!" Kiba and Choji cried in delight as they rushed to the table, with everyone else on their heels.

"Ramen?" Naruto asked hopefully, trying to act like he once had.

He received an elbow to the head for his efforts.

"Baka! Be appreciative of Sakura's and Hinata'a hard work! Not all good food is Ramen!"

"I'm not even sure if Ramen counts as real food," Neji remarked by his side.

"Traitor!" Naruto muttered as they took their seats. Neji only grinned at him.

Lee stood up and cleared his throat. Everyone either ignored him or didn't hear him, it made no difference really. Lee still stood there, a little lost as to how to gain everyone's attention. Eventually, Ino took pity on the poor man and stood, a vein throbbing dangerously on her forehead. Shikamaru subtly took notice of this and sunk low in his chair, waiting for the inevitable explosion that always followed. Naruto, who was sitting next to him looked at him curiously but before he could ask what was wrong, the fire works began.

"SILENCE YOU PATHETIC INGRATES!"

There was instantaneous quiet, broken only by Shikamaru a few long moments later.

"Che…."

"Dunno how you put up with her, shika," Naruto muttered in his friends ear.

"Neither do I," he sighed.

"What was that, Shikamaru?" Ino asked, dangerously sweet.

"Ah…n-nothing." Shikamaru gulped.

"Good. Naruto…." Ino turned her deadly gaze onto Naruto, who flinched. "I'll deal with you later."

Naruto shuddered, knowing the pain that awaited him after dinner. He knew she wouldn't try to hurt him at the dinner table. After all, she was insanely neurotic about manners. And table manners were on the top list of rules not to breach, or the offender would die an extremely horrific and painful death. All he had to do was creep out as soon as he could, hopefully without catching her attention. Yes, he'd lie low, that was the best idea……..

"Good. Now that I have everyone's attention, Lee would like to make an announcement." Ino said before sitting once more, and glaring at Naruto once more before focusing politely on Lee, who was clearing his throat nervously.

Nervous? Everyone exchanged apprehensive glances, wondering at what was going on. Obviously, the girls all knew something was going on, because they were all suppressing huge grins. Naruto's curiosity was making him itch, and he squirmed slightly in his seat. Neji shot him an irritated glance and elbowed him in the side. Naruto took the hit and sat still, remembering where he was.

"Ah right. First of all, I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to come tonight. It's great to see you all here and I hope you're enjoying yourselves. We've all known each other for a long time now, so we thought you'd all like to know of the latest developments concerning….."

Lee was cut off by Sakura clearing her throat impatiently. He took the hint and changed his line of thought.

"Right, so. The reason we invited you here tonight was to tell you all that….Sakura is pregnant. We're expecting a baby." Lee said, beaming proudly.

There was a moment of stunned silence, broken by Naruto choking on a mouthful of sake. He began to cough and splutter violently, everyone watching in fascination and surprise. Neji and Shikamaru took pity on him and began to pound him on the back. He gulped down a mouthful of water and calmed his breathing, as everyone refocused on the couple. Seats were deserted as they all crowded around Sakura and began asking questions. Only Naruto remained where he was, recovering slowly. He sunk his head into his hands and groaned. Sakura by herself was scary enough, but a pregnant, hormonal Sukura? She would drive him crazy. Or kill him.

Either way, he was doomed.

"Naruto?" a soft voice said. He looked up to see that Sakura had slipped unnoticed from the crowd to come and sit by his side.

"Are you okay? I wanted to tell you privately first, but you've been so busy lately that I didn't want to disturb you."

Naruto smiled at her, feeling a twinge of guilt and sadness. Had he been pushing her away so much that she felt she couldn't interrupt him? He swore that he wouldn't let things get so neglected again.

"No its okay." He quickly reassured her. "Congratulations. That's wonderful news."

He smiled and pulled his old friends and former teammate into a warm hug.

"I've been worried about you lately. Are you okay?" she whispered into his ear.

"Everythings fine. You don't need to worry about me now, Sakura-chan. Concentrate on yourself, and lee. You have a family to think of now."

She pulled away and took his hand.

"You're a part of this family too, Naru-kun. Don't forget that."

"I won't. Not ever." He whispered. "Are you still doing missions, Sakura-chan?"

"I will do easy missions for another few months, then I'll be "confined to light hospital work" as Tsunade-sama put it."

Naruto nodded, lost in thought.

"Lee wants a girl, but I wouldn't mind either way."

"A little lee running around. That should be interesting." Naruto remarked, an amused look on his face. He noticed Sakura looking slightly worried, as if deciding whether or not to say something.

"What is it Sakura? You know, whatever it is, you can tell me." He prompted gently. She gave him a smile, encouraged by his offer.

"When are you going to settle down with a nice girl Naruto-kun?" She asked "You're a wonderful man, and you have all the right attributes to be a father."

Naruot gave her a small sad smile.

"I fear that the majority of people wouldn't agree with you, Sakura-chan. All they see is the evil Demon fox, Kyubbi. Not who I really am. Besides, I don't think I could."

Sakura looked sad and upset.

"Why not Naruto?"

"Because i……I don't know how to be a part of a family. I never had a family growing up and I wouldn't know what to do with myself, for fear of hurting them. Besides, I wouldn't want them to be shunned as I have been."

"Naruto….."

"Its okay, Sakura-chan. I've grown used to the facts over the years, and it doesn't hurt anymore. I'm comfortable. Besides, I have you, and all my other friends to keep me company. I won't be alone." He explained. But inside, he felt the truth of his words. He was alone. He'd watch all his friends settle down and have families of their own. When it came to that…..he didn't know what to do.

_Besides, its not like you could ever love anyone again. You've already lost your heart………to him. He never knew. And neither did you. So no………he'd lost his chance at love a long time ago. Not that he could have ever loved anyone, much less a demon fox. It was doomed before it had even begun._

He felt the pain and loneliness come back at full force. He was tired, and exhausted. Not equipt to deal with this tonight. But he fought to push back the thick blanket of depression, and tried to put on a brave face for Sakura.

"No. But you'll be lonely. Everyone needs someone to love, Naruto. And you're no exception." Sakura considered him pensively. " I know the real reason why Naruto."

Naruto perked up at her words, wondering what she was talking about.

"I think……all along, I've always known. When I watched you two compete, I was jealous, because he would only ever take notice of you, not me. But I saw the way you fought for each others approval, you especially, Naruto. You always defended each other, and tried your hardest for each other."

She rolled her head back and stared at the ceiling. Naruto watched her with a tight throat.

"When you came back and I saw how depressed you were, how broken and hurt you were, I realised that all along, you were in love with him. And you still are. Aren't you?"

She finally looked at him, and Naruto gave her a small smile, feeling on the verge of tears. He couldn't break down. Not here.

"I was too late. I never even realized until he was long gone anyway." Naruto looked down at his hands. "It doesn't matter anymore, anyway. It doesn't change the facts Sakura-chan. Look at me now, whining like a pathetic twelve year old. What's in the past is should be forgotten."

He tried to give her a bright smile, but he knew it looked strained and forced. He was surprised when she pulled him into a sudden hug.

"But you haven't forgotten have you?" She whispered. "I wish I could help you, old friend. But I don't know how."

Naruto didn't reply, just held her tighter, knowing that she was still hurt over that incident. And that despite having gotten over her old crush, she still missed him.

" But that is someone no one can decide for you Naruto. Only you can decide how to save yourself. But do it soon, ne? I hate seeing you so sad."

They drew apart, and smiled at each other. Sakura wiped away tears that had gathered in her eyes.

"Now, lets forget all these memories for tonight and eat! The food is great, and the company is even better!" she grinned. And naruto chuckled at her words.

Inside, the loneliness still lingered, and he wondered if he was ever going to get better. He was tired of being sad all the time. Tired of hurting, and tired of being tired. Would things ever truly get better?

* * *

Hehehe! Third chapter! At the moment I'm rather satisfied with the development of this story, and I thik it'll turn out ok. Input would be greatly appreciated however! (hint, hint!) And I'm sorry if Naruto is acting too much like a wimp, but I promise you, he'll get so much better if you keep reading! 

That's all for now! Plz keep reading and take care! I would be heartbroken if something horrible happened to my lovely readers!


	5. Polar Opposites

Fourth Chapter done! Gawd! These first chapters are so hard to write! Any ways, this chapter and the next will be the last of Naruto's "internal turmoil" for awhile, because once I finish the next scene with Gaara, we finally get to the fighting! And the Plot Development! YAY! So yes, we're moving along nicely! Thanx to Legit for your last review! And don't worry, I'm sure the baby will turn out moderately okay! As if Sakura would let it live with Lee's eyebrows! And just as a side note, I don't particularly like Sakura, I just wanted to add her because Naruto likes her, and this is my portrayal of how I would love her to be! So, sadly there won't be (much) Sakura bashing in this one.

**Disclaimer: ** I no own! Remember!

**Warnings: ** The usual. Violence, angst, and Love! Shounen ai, het and Yuri (possibly!)

Chapter Four: _ Polar Opposites._

_If I was Beautiful_

_If I had the time_

_You would flock to me_

_And bathe me in the wine_

_I know that's not the way_

_I know that's not how things are to be_

_If I was like you_

_With nothing to get around_

_Then everything would be beautiful_

_As far as I can see_

_You'd be sitting here with me_

'_Till love's end_

_I fly so high,_

_Then I fall so low._

_- Signs of Love, By Moby._

After dinner and desert, everyone had collapsed in the lounge room, to talk and listen to music quietly. It was nearing midnight, and the day was finally drawing to a close. Naruto slipped out onto the balcony, still mindful of Ino's impending threat to his health. The rain had finally stopped, leaving everything glittering and wet. The air was cold and refreshing. Sighing, he lit a cigarette and leant against the railing, watching as the smoke vanished into the night air. He looked up at the sky; patches of stars were visible through breaks in the cloud. Sakura's words had been comforting and painful in the same measure, and his mind has returned again and again to that quiet conversation over and over throughout the course of the night.

Sighing, he took another drag on the cigarette as the glass door slid open and closed again. No point in turning around; he already knew who it was without looking.

"I didn't know you smoke."Neji commented as he leaned against the railing next to him.

"I don't much. Just every now and then."

"Ah. Mind if I bum one?" Neji asked ruefully.

"You?" Naruto asked surprised as he gave one over and lit it for his friend.

"Yeah. I've been an addict for years now." Neji admitted, exhaling with a contented sigh.

"You always were good at keeping things secret." Naruto mused, glancing at him for a long moment, before looking at the stars once more.

"What's on your mind?" Neji asked changing the topic abruptly. It was a habit of Neji's switching subjects as easily as one flicked a switch. It always confused and startled people who weren't used to the man, but it no longer phased him in the slightest.

"Nothing." Naruto replied, knowing it would annoy him. It was pointless hiding things from Neji because he had a gift for knowing when people were lying. It was quite a useful skill to have around in all honesty. One was always safe when Neji was around, Naruto thought to himself. He'd planned to tell Neji from the beginning anyway.

"Don't lie. I know you too well for that, and you and I both know it," came the lazy reply.

Naruto grinned before sobering at the thought of the troubling new situation.

"No one's supposed to know this. Not even me it seems."

Neji merely raised an eyebrow in question.

"Elders orders."

"So how do you know?"

"Jiraiya."

"That old geezer?" Neji muttered.

Naruto laughed. "Have some respect, Neji! He is one of the legendary sannin after all."

"Well he should act like one then. And its not like you're ever respectful around him. What is it you call him?"

"Ero-sennin?"

"That's it. Now what's going on?" Obviously he wasn't going to let it go easily, and Naruto's procrastinating wasn't going to deter him in the slightest.

"The Akatsuki are finally making their move."

Neji's eyes widened.

"What? But that was supposed to happen years ago! What changed?"

Naruto shrugged as he put out his cigarette.

"Who knows? Kakashi and Genma have been sent to spy."

"I dout they'll find much. No one has before."

"Exactly. Gaara was the one who informed Tsunade. And I don't know how he found out."

"Gaara? The sand nin who attacked during the first chuunin exams?"

"Yeah, that's him.

"And he has that demon inside him? Like you?"

Naruto nodded.

"Which means they'll be after the both of you. What'll you do?"

"I'm not sure yet. For the mean time, we keep following our orders and doing our jobs. If worse comes to worst, I'll leave and draw them away from Konoha." Naruto turned to Neji. "Officially I'm not even supposed to know. Maybe Tsunade has a plan. We'll have to wait."

"It won't get to that. We'll figure something out." Neji murmured.

Naruto rubbed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Maybe I'm not supposed to fight this. Maybe it can't be avoided."

"What are you talking about?"Neji frowned, not liking the way this was going.

"What's the point in wasting other peoples lives trying to stop this from happening? They're too strong, and we don't have enough manpower to defeat them. There's no way Konoha can defeat them alone."

"So what are you saying? We should just give in?"

"I dunno what I'm saying. Sorry Neji. I'm just tired is all."

"Perhaps you should get some sleep," a new voice suggested.

Turning, they saw Shikamaru, leaning against the wall. He straightened and moved across to join them. Reaching out, he took the cigarette from Neji's mouth.

"You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you,"Shikamaru said, taking a drag before stubbing the but out.

"Thos are some interesting things you've been hearing," he continued. "Che, you people are so troublesome."

"What are you…"Neji began.

"Don't worry. I won't say anything. It's too troublesome to explain to people anyway."

Naruto looked out over Konoha, half formed thoughts whirling through his mind. He wasn't really worried about Shikamaru talking. The lazy ninja was intelligent and trustworthy. He wouldn't blab. Rubbing a hand over his face, he stare up at the moon, thinking. After a moment he hopped up onto the railing of the balcony and crouched there.

"Naruto?" Neji asked, uncertainly.

"I think….I'm going to pay Gaara a visit. Have a little chat."

"Are you sure that's wise? You'll be alone. And Tsunade will be furious." Shikamar pointed out.

Naruto shrugged, not really afraid of the old hag any more.

"She's always mad at me for something. Tell the others it was nice ot see them again."

"You're an Anbu captain now. You can't just run off…"Neji said with a small smile.

"So tell the hag I'm off investigating something. Thanks,"Naruto said as he lept off the railing.

"For what?" Neji called after him.

"For covering for me!" came the reply.

Neji chickled as he turned back towards the doors. Shikamaru sighed.

"What a troublesome guy….."

* * *

Naruto's journey was going to be a long one. But that was okay. He needed time to think, time to prepare before facing an old….acquaintance? Gaara was not a friend, but he was not an acquaintance either. They knew too much about each other to be acquaintances, and yet they were not friends. Was there even a name for what they were? He didn't know. Gaara was the one who had led a life so similar to Naruto's own. Gaara had experienced the same pain and loneliness in his past. Yet they were completely different people. 

Meeting with Gaara again would not be an easy experience. Gaara was entwined with some memories he would prefer not to remember; the sound attack, the battle with Gaara and all that had followed. That battle had been the last time he and Sasuke had really fought as comrades and friends. The last time they had fought back to back. . They'd been facing Gaara then, a tortured and dark soul, tinged heavily with insanity. He pushed these memories aside forcefully. There was no point in reminiscing about such things. Nothing would change because of it.

Gaara was doing much better now. He was no longer the psychotic killing monster he had once been, feared by all. He held a position as a powerful shinobi in the Hidden village of Sand. From what Naruto had heard, the villagers more or less left him alone, and Gaara kept pretty much to himself, unconcerned by the comings and goings of normal people. Lee informed him that Gaara was an introverted, quiet man now, who spent a lot of his time thinking. Naruto couldn't really imagine him being anything else, really. He'd never been noisy, or a talker. Take away the insanity and the anger and that was what would remain. It seemed he had made a peace, of sorts, with himself at last. He had grown closer to his siblings, and depended on them as much as he would allow himself to, but essentially, he would always be a loner.

Naruto had heard of Gaara's aid during the unsuccessful retrieval mission; he had saved lee's life and defeated the entity Kimimaru. He'd never really had the chance to thank Gaara for his help, and decided to make a point of doing so when he arrived. Lee had keep in contact with the mysterious shinobi, it seemed and had been Naruto's main source of information regarding him.

Yes, Gaara's life had taken a turn for the better. He was pleased for Gaara. It was about time he got some kind of release. It was too much to bear at times, as Naruto knew only too well. Somethimes, reality was too harsh, too painful to cope with. People like Gaara and himself were the ones who felt the full weight of realities chains._ It is people like us,_ Naruto thought,_ that have to deal with the worst parts of life. Unaided and Unloved. It makes for a bitter, lonely existence most of the time. _

Naruto closed his eyes briefly, and paid attention to the cool night breeze flowing smoothly over his skin, as he moved as one with the darkness. The darkness had always been his companion, and his consolation during times of grief. During the day he had to act, put on a performance even the greatest actors couldn't rival. But at night, there was no hiding, no masks or acts. He could be himself without the fear of being discovered. The night was a time of horror and fear for many, who warded off the darkness with lights and fires, a source of comfort and warmth. But to Naruto, who had never had a warm light to return home to, the night was a place of mystery, secrets and silence. Contemplation, and dreaming. A well as nightmares. But you took the good with the bad.

Contrary to what many think, darkness is always present, always there. Light only hides it temporarily. Naruto knew this only too well, and he loved the night, and indeed, the darkness. He truly felt almost at peace when he moved during the sleeping hours. Tonight was no exception. The moon was bright, and the air, cool and crisp. Stars twinkled tauntingly at him. The cool breeze had banished all the rain clouds from the sky. It had turned into a lovely night.

Naruto turned his face up to the moon. Just like most things in this world, the moon had two sides. Light and dark. _Polar opposites. Just like me and Sasuke._ On such a night, it was relatively easy to forget pain. And suffering. It was easy to let the darkness numb him, and lull him into a brief sense of peace._ That was why we were always fighting each other. Drawn and repelled at the same time. Not complete when separate, but never compatible when together. _ It was, and always would be, a never-ending cycle. Now, he felt that sadness, and loneliness, but distantly, as if it was separate from him for once. Like the moon. Always there but distant, unreachable. How many times had he reached out as a child, to touch that enchanting globe, as if to unlock its hidden secrets? How many times had the moon listened to his crying, and watched over him as he tossed and turned, caught in nightmares too obscure to make any sense? It was always with him, throughout the long sleepless nights. Yes the moon was his old companion, the only real constant in his life.

_Che. Listen to me now. I think too much. Maybe this is all a bad dream………Maybe it'll all go away if I wake up. If only I could wake up………_

This was no way for a ninja to be acting, or behaving. He toughened his resolve. Soon, things would be getting a whole lot worse, and he couldn't allow any weaknesses. He had people who depended on him, and he mustn't let them down. Not now.

* * *

Have fun reading? Good! Now on to a serious topic! I'm thinking of making Neji/Gaara a pairing in this. What do you all think? Oh and Kakashi/iruka of course! the other pairings will become more evident later! But anyways, who's for Neji/Gaara? Review and let me know! And if there's anyone you want to die, let me know! Because I'm having a hard time deciding who i want to be killed, and how! So REVIEW people! BYE! P.S i still the whole "Maybe this is all a bad dream thing" from Cowboy bebop, so don't shoot me! I just love that series! Poor Spike! 


	6. Life on a Chain

Okay, here's chapter five. Hope you liked the last one! Thanks to Hecate-19 for you review! All the stuff you told me was very useful! I'm glad you told me too because I had to change my ideas for the rest of the story! Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** Naruto still doesn't belong to me and I doubt it ever will! Woe is me!

**Warnings:** You've read them before. They still apply! So read on!

* * *

Chapter 5: _Life on a Chain_

_There is no pain, you are receding  
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon  
You are only coming through in waves  
Your lips are moving but I can't hear what you're saying.  
When I was a child  
I caught a fleeting glimpse  
Out of the corner of my eye.  
I turned to look but it was gone  
I cannot put my finger on it now  
The child is grown.  
The dream is gone.  
I have become comfortably numb._

_-Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb._

It was nearing dawn when the hidden village of sand came into sight. A rosy pink smudge had appeared on the horizon, and the light had began to pierce the darkness that Naruto had been enjoying. As the light became brighter, Naruto began to feel nervous about meeting with Gaara once more. What would he say? What news would he be able to give him? With little difficulty, he hid his feelings of unrest as he headed for the gates. No use causing unnecessary trouble by sneaking in.

When he approached the Gates in his Anbu uniform and mask, the two shinobi on duty perked up alertly and stepped into his path.

"State your name and purpose."

"Uzamaki Naruto of Konoha. I'm here for a meeting with Gaara." Naruto replied with a respectful bow of his head.

The gaurds visibly hesitated on hearing Gaara's name. They were not going to forbid him entry, he knew, because they didn't want to cross Gaara.

"Wait here and we'll summon a guide to take you. Is he expecting you?"

"No he isn't."

"Gaara-sama doesn't like suprises," the second one told him.

"H won't mind this one, I'm sure," Naruto replied, with a small smile, knowing he couldn't see.

Soon enough, a ninja came to escort me. A she approached, I realised she looked familiar. It was Temari, Gaara's sister. She smiled at me.

"Well, well. If it isn't the brat Naruto."

"Temari. It's been awhile." I replied as she led me through unfamiliar streets. I noticed some ninja we passed giving me funny looks. Obviously, the village of Sand wasn't used to visitors from Konoha. Perhaps it was time that the Fifth worked on Sand/Leaf relations. Who knew when an alliance would be needed?

"It has, hasn't it? The last time I saw you was in the hospital after the Chuunin exams." She mused. "I hear you made Anbu. And a captain, too I see."

She looked me over, and I glanced down at my uniform. Instead of wearing the white robes of Captain, I wore the normal black. The only thing that set me apart was a red Konoha symbol stitched onto the left side of the chest of my robes. I refused to make myself a target by standing out. Tsunade and I had had several disagreements regarding my uniform, but for once I'd won and made her see the sense in my actions.

"How's Gaara been? Is he doing okay?" I asked, changing the subject. Apparently I'd picked up a few of Neji's bad habits, thought.

"He's doing well. We're pleased by his progress." She replied, softening visibly. It seemed that Gaara had people who loved him now. I was pleased. He wasn't alone anymore, and it seemed that he had realised it as well.

"He is stable now, although he still has periods when he gets depressed and unstable. But we're getting there."

I nodded as I looked around curiously. It wasn't all that different from Konoha, really. The only main thing was the environment and the weather. He was surrounded by sand, and there was not much greenery to speak of. Konoha experienced hot summers, and milder winter months. It rained fairly regularly. But the Village of Sand experienced blistering heat during the days, and cold nights, as was normal in deserts. They had sand storms, and very occasionally, they had rain.

But the children still ran around and played and the adults still talked in the streets as they went about their business. No it wasn't all that different here. And for once it was nice not to be recognized, and scorned.

Temari led him to a small house, and knocked on the door. A few moments later, it opened revealing Gaara. He blinked when he saw Naruto, but showed no other signs of surprise.

"Hey Gaara." Temari greeted him. "Naruto showed up. He wants to talk."

She hugged her brother briefly, and naruto noticed how the hug was returned.

"I've gotta go. A mission awaits. Nice seeing you again Naruto."

She smiled and waved as she left.

"Likewise temari. Goodluck with your mission."

She nodded before disappearing. Gaara looked at Naruto for a few long moments before stepping back to let him in. Naruto stepped through the door and removed his mask.

"Welcome to the Sand Naruto." Gaara greeted him quietly. "What is it you wish to talk about?"

Naruto smiled as he lowered his hood.

"Direct, as always. I think we need to talk about a few things."

Gaara nodded and led him into a little garden at the back of the house. Cool and shaded, it gave off an air of tranquility. A small fountain bubbled in the centre of the garden, with exoctic plants in the borders, and stone benches in the shade. Naruto sat down gratefully, stretching his aching muscles. He was pleasantly tired from his journey, and sitting down made him realise how tired he was.

"Wait here,"Gaara told him before disappearing back into the house. Naruto looked around, appreciating the tranquility and peace of Gaara's garden. It was rather beautiful, and was probably the place that Gaar visited when he needed to think or let off some steam.

A glass dripping condensation was placed on the bench beside him, and Naruto blinked at it for a moment before looking towards Gaara, who was standing before the small fountain.

"Why are you here?" Gaara asked again.

Naruto took a sip of the iced tea, and closed his eyes in pleasure as the cold liquid slid down his parched throat.

"Several reasons." He began.

"Which are?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the Akatsuki."

Gaara turned those strange, unnerving eyes on him once more, before joining him on the bench. He made sure to keep his distance and to not touch Naruto. He was, after all, a solitary creature, who preferred to keep physical contact down to a minimum, and Naruto didn't mind at all. It wasn't a personal thing. Just a quirk.

"What did your Hokage tell you?" Gaara asked after awhile.

"Nothing." Naruto paused. "They don't want to tell me yet."

Gaara stared at him. "They still don't trust you."

It was a statement, not a question. But it didn't hurt anymore. He was blissfully numb against such hurts now.

"No. They don't."

"Isn't it funny? Both containers for demons, through someone else's deeds, and yet both persecuted for something we have no control over. I'm starting to gain respect and some peoples trust. I'm practically second in command to the Kazekage. You're still hated and blamed, despite being Anbu Captain."

These measured words were said slowly, as if they had been thought about many times before. Naruto finished his drink and set the glass down carefully.

"Not many people know that I'm Captain. I prefer it that way."

"Do you hate them? You've dedicated your life to protecting the people who've hated and scorned you for as long as you can remember."

Naruto looked at the bright sunrise contemplating the words that Gaara said. He had known this conversation would take place and had prepared himself mentally for it. These were questions he had often asked himself in the past and eventually, after much thought, he had come up with some decent answers. Or excuses. Whichever way you looked at it, the result was still the same.

"No I don't hate them. Some one has to be the scapegoat don't they? Since they can't punish the demon for its crimes, they punish the container. In a way, it makes sense. Kyuubi is responsible for so much pain and death within my village. He destroyed so many lives. They think I'm the Kyuubi, reborn into a human body. So they take out their frustrations on me." Naruto laughed, ruefully. "In all honesty, I'd probably do the same if it was someone else."

Gaara had been studying him as he said this.

"And you're okay with that?" The question held no incredulous disbelief, or disgust. There was no judgment here for Naruto; Gaara would not punish him for his sins, or his mistakes or failures. So Naruto had no problems answering these very personal questions.

"I used to hate it so much. It used to hurt. Every time someone said something or turned their back, I'd feel another piece of my soul wear away, little by little. After awhile, I figured out that screaming and crying about it didn't change anything, or make it go away. Nobody listened anyway. So I put on a defiant act to show them all that no matter what they did, or said, I wouldn't let them beat me down and win. Now, they've pretty much given up trying to hurt me. They just leave me alone and ignore me. I like it better than being made fun of. It's easier."

"But it's all still there isn't it?"

Naruto looked over at him. Gaara's hair was aflame from the rising sun, making him look like some kind of ethereal being. He smiled slightly at the thought. No one else would agree with him he knew. Gaara was beautiful in a way no one else could see, or possibly guess at.

"I get the same treatment now. Except most of the villagers go out of their way to avoid me." Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly. "We know true solitude, you and me. It will never end. Not for us."

"But we have important people now. You have your brother and sister." Naruto pointed out simply.

"And you have your friends. But they'll never understand you like I do. Just like how my siblings will not ever fully understand me. It doesn't mean they don't love us. Just that they don't really know us."

Naruto couldn't think of anything to say, but he knew that what Gaara said was true. None of them would ever truly know what it was like. Once, someone else had. But he was long gone, and had long since lost himself to his ghosts. Gaara and himself were still battling theirs, still trying to find solutions. Naruto was suddenly glad that he had come. "Tell me something." Gaara said after a long time of quiet. "Have you heard from Sasuke?"

Naruto looked away. Instead of the flash of pain and sorrow, he felt that emptiness, that numbness again. Just like last night. It was occurring more regularly now, ever since his conversation with Jiraiya. Perhaps it was a good thing. Maybe it was his way of moving on at last. The numbness was growing, like a persistent weed slowly choking a garden. Within the emptiness was an awareness that was unfamiliar to him. It observed everything, even the smallest details. It was a strange, alien feeling, but it too was growing rapidly. He had yet to figure out what it was. Maybe it was that feeling that an animal got when it knew it was going to die, and it was trying everything it could to survive. Maybe he should welcome it, and savor what time he had left. Then again, perhaps it would be useful when battling the Akatsuki. Who knew what it meant? But he would figure it out.

After a few moments, he realized that he had not answered Gaara's question, and that he was waiting patiently for his answer.

"No I haven't. Not since that day."

Gaara touched his shoulder lightly, surprising Naruto who whipped his head around to meet Gaara's eyes.

"That day he left. He killed you."

"What?" Naruto asked, confused and slightly scared of the words and what they meant.

"You can deny it all you want, but the day he turned his back on you was the day you died. Now you don't sleep, and the pain he caused you is always with you in everything that you do."

"H-how do you know that?" Naruto asked stunned, and Gaara smiled slightly.

" I can see it. I can smell it on you. Because I know betrayal as well. A close friend betrayed me too once. His name was Yashamaru."

Gaara's eyes became distant, and Naruto watched him, unable to tear his eyes away.

"They day he betrayed me, the day he tried to kill me, was the start of something I couldn't control. I became lost in a world of bloodshed and violence. Insanity, everyone called it." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"But me, I enjoyed it. It gave me an excuse to live, a reason not to see the truths that were right in front of me. But they don't know what it's like for people like you and me."

Naruto stayed quiet, wanting to hear what he said next, straining to find answers in his story.

"But then I met you, and I saw your fire. I saw your strength and your determination to succeed. It inspired me. I wanted to change. But to do that I needed to give up my old way a life and find a new one. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Even harder than realizing that the person I trusted had betrayed me. It meant I had to give up my security in order to become something that I was afraid of."

Those eyes turned once more to Naruto, and he found himself imprisoned in their shadowed depths, unable to escape. He did not want to. He let himself be held captive. And he listened. Not only with his ears, but with his heart. This was Gaara's story, this was his truth, and he was telling it for a reason.

"The day Sasuke left, Naruto, he stole your fire, your ambition and your dream. You can use that. Use it to bring him down. Use it as your reason to fight the Akatsuki. He is not gone from your life. He'll be back."

Those eyes released him, and turned away to look at the sunrise again.

"And with him, he'll bring everything you don't want. Akatsuki. Orochimaru. Death, pain, suffering. I've laid my past to rest, and I'm starting to move on. It's time you did the same. After this war, there will be no turning back. It's the end of all this. Prepare yourself, Naruto, because you'll be in the middle of it, along with everyone you know. And love." Gaara's eyes met his and he stood up.

"Stay here for a few days. Recover your strength. I've got things I need to do."

He headed for the house once more.

"What about the Akatsuki?" Naruto asked in a low voice.

"I'll tell you about them later. Before you leave."

He disappeared in a whirl of sand, leaving a distressed Naruto in his wake. What did it all mean? What did he know about Sasuke? _What was going on?_

_

* * *

_  
There it is! The last chapter of discussions! Now, on with the fighting! Tell the truth, i like this chapter, but i'm afraid that its corny! Plz review and tell me what you think! And I have more questions and ideas that I need your opinions on! I'm pretty sure its going to be Gaara/Neji after writing this chapter. But I still need help on who you all want to die! I'm picking from : Gaara, Kiba, Hinata, Ino, Choji, Sasuke, Naruto, Iruka or Shino. Big list I know, and I'll only have a few that die (because after all, it will be a war!) And I do need to have some people die or it wouldn't be realistic! I already have plans for Neji, but I need to know if you all want Naruto and Sasuke to live and stay together or if you want one of them to die. So! Review! Let me know! And I'll update quicker! Until next time!


	7. Dreams of Betrayal

Due to the great reviews I got for the last chapter of my story, I decided to get on and update with the next chapter! Got to keep my loyal readers happy don't i? Speaking of which;

**Special thanks to:**

**Hecate-19: **thanks for your input! I'm so glad you told me that about Gaara, and I'll make sure to include it somehow! Hugs for you!

**Magic Anime Goddess: ** lol, read you fic AND I actually reviewed it, just because you wanted me to! No harm in shameless self-promotion though is there! I'm glad you're still interested! The people who read my fics are what actually keep me writing! Thanks so much!

**YoungSasuke: **thanks for your suggestion! I'll try and incorporate your idea into the story line! And it would be cool wouldn't it? Hmmmm…….thanks for the idea! I might just steal it now! Hope you don't mind:)

**Sonic Stage: **Wow! Your enthusiasm is truly amazing (and very sweet!) I'm glad to be able to kill you with the suspense! I really don't mind you bothering me all that much! Its makes me feel so loved! And after that humiliating display of begging, I think I'll take pity on you and definitely make the paring Naru/Sas! (I was going to anyway) Just for you! Thanks and keep reading! I love you! Breaks down into happy sobbing.

**Crimson Reality: **Thanks for your review and the compliments! It always nice to know you're appreciated! By the way, I love your name….makes me rethink my name! I think I'll change it……

-Breaths out-. Now that you all know how dependent I am on your praise, I'll get on with the next chapter now! Just as a side note, there will be a few differing view points in this chapter, and now we begin to get down to the details of the plot! Hope you understand it all- if you don't, drop me an email and I'll get back to you. Violence in this chapter! Beware if you have a weak stomach! As always, feed back is appreciated, and Reviews are treasured!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine! Still not over it…..

**Warnings:** violence, angst, possible steamy shower scenes later between our beloved heroes…….you get the picture…..

* * *

Chapter Six: _Dreams of Betrayal_

_Where were you when i was lonesome?  
Locked away in this freezing cold  
Some one flying, only stolen  
I can't tell, this night's so old.. _

(Naruto PoV) 

Naruto spent most of the morning in the garden. To say he was distressed was an understatement. Overload of information had sent his brain into the deep end, and it was flatly refusing to come back. Frankly, it was becoming a problem for Naruto.

He paced restlessly around the garden, despite being tired from his long hourney during the night. If he kept going this way, he'd wear a trench around the fountain. After a few hours of this, he forced himself to sit down on a bench. But that didn't stop him from fidgeting.

It got so bad that he'd started to annoy himself. It was a good thing that he was alone. Poor Neji would be tearing his hair out by now, and frothing at the mouth. If he'd been with Sakura….he'd have been beaten into a pulp hours ago then bound and gagged and probably thrown into the nearest river with a stone attached to his feet. He shuddered, thinking of all the possible tortures she could subject him to.

He'd given himself a painful headach trying to sort out all the different things people had told him over the past two days. Trying to make sense of their words was another matter entirely, and one he simply refused to even consider thinking about. In fact, he'd worked himself into such a state that he failed to notice that he was sun burnt and suffering from heat stress.

It was in this state that Gaara and his siblings found him in later that day. They all stopped dead when they saw Naruto practically bouncing off the walls in frustration. It took him several minutes to notice that he wasn't alone anymore, and when he finally did realise this, he wasn't in a particularly welcoming mood.

"What are you doing?" Gaara asked in that dead pan voice of his.

Naruto whipped his head around and glared at the foolish person who had dared to interrupt him while he was in the midst of his thinking.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He snapped. "I'm thinking!"

Naruto took notice of the speechless look Temari and Kankuro shot each other, and it only served to darken his already dark mood.

"Obviously," Gaara replied dryly. "I thought I told you to rest, not to work yourself into a state."

"Well how in Kami's name do you expect me to do that after all you told me this afternoon? This is all your fault Gaara!"

"Or maybe you're just tired and over-reacting. You need to sleep." Gaar pointed out logically.

However, logic never settled well with Naruto when he was upset. Neji had discovered this the hard way, and had learned to deal with Naruto using sneaky tactics. This had resulted in Naruto becoming incredibly suspicious of anyone who tried to reason with him, or even approach him. Gaar was no exception. Naruto scowled at Gaara as he approached. Normally most people would back off seeing such a fierce scowl. But Gaara, being who he was, took no notice and made his was around the fountain. It was only when he was a few feet away that Naruto noticed the chakra gathered in his hands, and the seals he was currently forming.

"What are you…." He began to ask as Gaara muttered something inaudible under his breath. Before he could even think to try and escape the mysterious jutsu, the world around him suddenly distorted and swayed. Naruto felt Gaara take hold of his shoulders to steady him as a heavy warm feeling flowed soothingly through Naruto's body. It felt like weights had been attached to his eyelids; he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open.

"What did you…" he struggled to form the words but his words came out slurred. Gaara's face became fuzzy as his eyes unfocused.

"Sleep Naruto. You are safe. No harm will come to you." Gaara murmured.

"Gaara…" he whispered as he succumbed to sleeps tempting lullaby. Darkness enveloped him…….he knew no more……

* * *

(Gaara POV) 

Gaara caught Naruto's form as he crumpled slowly, and swung him into his arms, bridal style. His siblings approached curiously.

"What did you do?" Temari asked, studying Naruto closely.

"Sleeping Jutsu. He hasn't been sleeping well lately."

"Huh. Sleeping jutsu. You think someone would've thought of using something like this sooner." Kankuro said. "Stupid leaf nins."

Temari dealt his a resounding blow to the head.

"Baka! Have you not noticed the Anbu mask he wears?"she snapped

Kankuro grumbled at her, but promptly shut up when he saw her eyeing him dangerously.

"Kankuro." Gaara caught his attention. "Send a message to the Hokage of Konoha. Tell her about Naruto and ask her to send that report I asked her for. And see about doubling the guard around the village."

Kankuro nodded and disappeared quickly.

"Temari. I want you to help me with him." Gaar indicated Naruto with a slight nod of his head. "I'll need some salve for his sunburn, and the spare rooms needs preparing."

Temari nodded and headed for the house, with Gaara following more slowly. He looked down at Naruto's peaceful face. At least he'd get some sleep.

"No dreams this time, Naruto." Gaara whispered. "No nightmares."

* * *

(Neji's POV)

Neji scowled at the ceiling. He'd only gotten a few hours of sleep tonight, and it wasn't nearly enough. That didn't make sleep come any easier though. He'd tossed and turned restlessly, too hot, and then too cold. Eventually, and inevitably, he'd gotten tangled up in the sheets and had ended up on his back on the floor. Now the ceiling was silently mocking him as he lay on the cold wooden floorboards.

This was all Naruto's fault.

If that stupid blond idiot hadn't run off to the village of sand, then he wouldn't be stuck here worrying himself silly about him. To make matters worse, the news about the Akatsuki's movements was troubling. Naruto was out there alone. If something happened no one would know and no one could send for help. And he was with Gaara, who was a shadowy figure Neji knew next to nothing about.. What he had learnt about the man, he had learnt from rumors and none of that was particularly useful. Its reliability was questionable as well. Neji knew he had been involved in the Sand's attack on Konoha seven years ago, but how exactly he didn't know. A lot of the details related to that incident and the third hokage's death was kept tightly under lock and key. Only a select few knew what had really happened that day and Naruto was one of them. He'd never spoken of it though, and Neji had his suspicions as to why this was. Over the years, he had come to the conclusion that the whole thing was tied up with Sasuke in some way. Which was probably the reason Naruto never said anything. So Neji never said anything, because he feared it would open half-healed wounds again.

He knew Naruto better than anyone, despite what the blonde might say. He was Naruto's closest friend, and they both knew it. Naruto had often expressed his gratitude towards Neji for this, and Neji always responded by saying that no thanks were necessary. Because they weren't. That what friends were for. To be with each other through the thick and the thin. To be the support when everything else came crashing down. Neji knew that, and he stuck by the blonde like no one else had before, and Naruto had often said that he didn't understand why.

Neji was the first to admit that he had a soft spot for the blonde, and had felt oddly protective towards him since the day of their match at the chuunin exams. And he wasn't the only one either. Iruka, and Kakashi had become adoptive parents in a way. The lovers always had an open door for the blonde when he needed shelter from the world. Tsunade too, had a strong relationship with Naruto. She had long ago declared that Naruto was the next in line for the title of Hokage. Naruto had refused countless times, which had resulted in countless arguments, and rows. He refused to accept the position as if thought he was unworthy or something. His refusal had only served to strengthen Tsunade's determination for him to become the sixth. Secretly, Neji was seriously considering joining her and helping to formulate some sort of plan to get him to accept the title.

Yes, it was true that Naruto had unknowingly wormed his was into the hurts of everyone who came into contact with him. There were countless people who'd do anything for the blonde, which could prove a powerful weapon for the blonde if he ever woke up and realized it.

Shaking his head with a fond smile, Neji's thoughts quickly turned to his most recent, and troubling problem. The Akatsuki.

Frustratingly, he could not even try to investigate the matter further because technically he wasn't even supposed to know yet. If Tsunade ever found out that he knew, she would personally gut him, and hunt down the source of the leak. Which would get not only get himself in trouble, but Naruto, shikamaru and Jiraiya as well. And Neji was always careful not to anger either of the Sennins because that could have disastrous recurrences. If he angered them _and_ Naruto, his life would most certainly come to an unwanted premature end.

Damn Naruto! He was nothing but trouble. Turning his head, he looked out the window. Dawn was approaching, and with it, another day of missions. Sighing once more, he sat up and pushed his hair out of his eyes; time to get ready for the days work ahead of him.

As he was locking his door, lee appeared before him in a whirlwind of leaves and chakra smoke. Neji braced himself for what he knew was coming.

"GOOD MORNING MY WORTHY RIVAL! THE SPRINGTIME OF OUR YOUTHS IS BUZZING WITH OUR YOUTHFUL ENERGY TODAY!" lee greeted him loudly, making Neji wince inwardly.

Behind his anbu mask, Neji's face was struggling to decide between scowling in irritation, or grinning in amusement. There were so many advantages to wearing an anbu mask, and this was one of them.

Lee had long since outgrown his annoying habits, and Neji knew he kept the act up to try and annoy people, him especially. But Neji was long since used to Lee's little mannerism, and they no longer bothered him like they used to. Truth be told, Nehi knew that Lee was a reliable and trustworthy shinobi, and he had long since acknowledged lee's strength. Lee had yet to beat him in a spar, however, but that didn't stop him from trying.

"Morning Lee," Ne ji turned and waited for lee to speak.

"Hokage wants you as soon as possible." Lee grinned.

Neji nodded, and turned in direction of the Hokage tower.

"And Neji? Lets have a rematch soon! I'll definitely win this time!"

This last bit was said in "the nice guy pose," and Neji couldn't help his smirk of amusement.

"Sure, whatever. Later lee." Neji replied as he raced off to see what the Hokage wanted.

The Anbu guards bowed as he entered Tsunade's office. He closed the door quietly behind him and saluted. Tsunade looked up and put her ink brush down, folding her hands in front of her.

"Ah, Neji. I have a mission for you."

"A mission, Hokage-sama? I thought I was guarding you today?" Neji said, confused.

"Schedule's been changed, due to special circumstances. I need you to go to the Hidden Village of Sand…"

* * *

(Naruto's dream)

_Naruto was standing at the gates of Konoha. Everything seemed dull and grey. The buildings were damaged, and fires burned, but all was quiet. As he looked around, he noticed that Konoha was completely deserted…………no bodies, nothing. He squeezed his eyes shut in confusion and opened them once more._

_He was still in Konoha. A strange, deserted Konoha. It was like a ghost town. A cold wind blew, making Naruto shiver as he walked slowly through the streets. Silence ruled here, broken only by the quiet moaning of the wind._

_A sense of cold dread filled Naruto, making him shiver harder. He found himself in front of the Academy. He felt as if he was moving underwater. His limbs were heavy and he was finding it difficult to draw breath into his freezing body as he walked along the corridors. _

_There was no one here either………_

_Reaching out a shaking hand, he slid open the door to his old classroom. Empty._

_He was about to turn away when he heard a low groan._

_Swallowing thickly, he walked around Iruka's desk, and realized he was standing in a pool of blood._

_Unable to cry out, his eyes fell on the body of Iruka, whose body was covered in horrible gaping gashes. Blood drained from each cut to pool in a crimson lake around his body. Naruto could hear his harsh breathing._

_Pain and despair overwhelmed him, and crying out, he fell to his knees next to Iruka and reached for his hand. His skin was cold. So cold………_

"_Iruka? Can you hear me? What happened?" Naruto asked hoarsely, the words almost catching in his throat. No answer._

"_Please be okay…please don't leave me!" he begged helplessly._

_Iruka's eyes opened slowly. Dull eyes. Eyes once full of warmth and kindness now held only pain and emptiness. _

"_Naruto?" he whispered hoarsely._

"_Yes it's me! I'm here! Don't leave me!" he pleaded, tears welling in his eyes. "What happened? Who did this to you?"_

_He could feel warm blood soaking into his pants and staining his hands, but he didn't care. Iruka…_

"_Why…how…" Iruka was struggling to speak. His breath rattled harshly in his throat. Death was approaching. Naruto listened intently, tears streaming down his cheeks, and pain clogging his throat._

"_Why did you betray me?" Iruka's accusing eyes met his, and Naruto drew back slightly in shock and horror._

"_W-what are you talking about?" Naruto cried out. "Iruka? Iruka!"_

_But Iruka was gone. His breath rattled to a halt, and his body began to fade. Naruto was left holding thin air and kneeling in a pool of blood. Alone. Confused._

_Suddenly, he was at the bridge. Team 7's meeting place, still kneeling in Iruka's blood. Before him, hanging from the bridge archway, was Kakashi's bound form, a rope around his torso and neck. Parts of his body were burnt black, and blood ran from his eyes. Like tears……_

_Naruto couldn't speak. He was paralyzed with shock and horror. Kakashi's eyes met his slowly. Lifeless, dead eyes. Naruto couldn't break the eye contact. Eyes filled with such hatred and malice. Directed at him._

"_Traitor…" Kakashi whispered through swollen, blue lips._

_Terrified, Naruto scrambled to his feet and fled, his legs pounding as he fought against the heaviness and grief that threatened to overwhelm him._

_This time, he found himself at Sakura's and Lee's apartment, in the living room. Surrounded by the bodies of all the people he had known and loved. Torn to pieced, disemboweled, beheaded. Tortured. All dead………_

_His eyes feel onto Sakura's body, and he almost vomited in revulsion. Her stomach had been slashed open, her fully developed unborn child spilled out onto the floor._

_Tears streamed down his face, and he could feel the screams building in his chest, but no sound could escape his mouth. Sobbing silently, he fled to the balcony._

_Neji was sitting, slumped against the railing, Kunai's and shuriken embedded deep within his body._

"_Neji!" Naruto's scream ripped through the silent night………_

_

* * *

_  
Gawd, another chapter done! This one was a hard one to write. I wanted to fully express Naruto terrible nightmares, so you'd all understand why he doesn't sleep much. But this one is worse that the ones he normally has. Sorry if it doesn't seem that horrific to you all…this is my first fanfic and I've never written violence or angst before, so be kind! So anyway, I'm sorry if I seriously freaked you all out, but I did warn you about the violence and angst! (As a side note, I'm not into baby killing! I detest any form of violence, but this _is_ just a story, and in no way, shape or form _real!)_ So review, and let me know what you think! The next chapter, will have the last part of Naruto's dream, and it will involve angst and _some_ sex scenes, but no more violence! I'll spare you that much at least!


	8. Dark Sorrow

Squeeee! I'm so happy with this story! Its growing up so nicely! And I have had so many hits on this story (881 to be exact) but only 10 reviews! But I'm okay with that! I'm a lazy person myself, and sometimes I couldn't be bothered to review either, so I'll forgive you!

Anyhoo, Here is chapeter 7! Yay! Lets all celebrate! This chapter is the end of Naru-chans dream, and a little more plot development! And the first appearance of Sasuke! Well, not really appearance but…..i'll let you read and find out! Hehe!I'm so happy! Anyways, thanks to:

**Fire-lizard-720:** hhheeee! I'm so glad you approve! Thanks for your encouragement! Lol, I hope you keep reading! Hugs!

**Hecate-19: **Thanks for your email! I don't know how I came up with that sleep jutsu thing…it just popped into my head, then I remembered how Gaara put himself to sleep (chuunin exams if you remember) and I thought, why not? If he can do it to himself, he must be able to do it to someone else, right? Anyways, thanks again, I'm glad you liked the nightmare thing. I was worried it was too much!

**Crimson Reality: **You're my idol! I love you! Keep reviewing, I beg of you! hugs! My loyal reviewer...(sorry, having a Gai-sensei moment here!)

**Warnings: **Not much violence in this chapter, but angst and sexual references (yaoi). Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine….But maybe one day…..hopefully……

And the song I use in this chapter is Shackled by Vertical Horizon

* * *

Chapter Seven: _Dark Sorrow_

_For so long my life's been sewn up tight inside your hold  
And it leaves me there without a place to call my own……  
I know now what shadows can see  
There's no point in running 'less you run with me  
It's half the distance through the open door  
Before you cut me down  
Again  
Let me introduce you to the end…_

_And I feel the cold wind blowing beneath my wings  
It always leads me back to suffering  
But I will soar until the wind whips me down  
Leaves me beaten on unholy ground again  
_

_So tired now, of paying my dues  
I start out strong but then I always lose  
Its half the distance before you leave me behind  
Its such waste of time…_

'_Cause my shackles  
You won't be  
And my rupture  
You won't believe  
And deep inside you will bleed for me_

_So here I slave inside of a broken dream  
Forever holding on to splitting seams  
So you take your piece and leave me alone to die  
I don't need you to keep my faith alive_

_I know now what trouble can be  
And why it follows me so easily  
Its half the distance through the open door  
Before you shut me down  
Again  
Let me show you to the end_

"_Please! No! Not you! Neji, wake up…please!" Naruto sobbed as he clutched his friend's body desperately. Blood spilled out of Neji's mouth, flowing over pale skin, and down his throat. Red on white... _

"_Neji…" Naruto whispered, hoping to wake his friend as if he was in a peaceful slumber._

_Those pale eyes turned slowly to meet his own blue ones._

"_Naruto…why are you still h-here?" Neji's voiced asked, roughly. His voice was normally smooth, like water running over river stones…_

"_I won't leave you here. I've got to go get help." Naruto said fiercely, relieved that Neji was still alive. He still had time, then…_

"_You betrayed me…now you wish to save me?"_

_Naruto froze, and met those eyes again. The hate was there…_

_He scrambled away, as pain ripped gaping cavities in his chest._

_Not him too……_

"_Filthy demon…I should've killed you years ago…" Neji's word dripped with venom and disdain. He drew one last, shuddering breath before his head lolled limply. Death had claimed another victim…_

_An alien wail keened through the night. Naruto clutched his chest, rocking back and forth as bitter tears fell. The pitiful wailing continued, and a small corner of Naruto's mind realized that it was he who was wailing. _

_He didn't know how long he stayed there, rocking back and forth and hugging his freezing body. So lonely…so alone. He was truly alone…_

_It hurts…_

"_I can make it all go away," a voice whispered, the wind carrying the deep, smooth voice to Naruto's ears. _

_He lifted his distraught face as the balcony, and Neji, disappeared, fading into darkness._

_Soft…so soft…_

_Red... like the color of blood. _

_He studied the silk sheets beneath him with dull detachment. He couldn't take much more of this torture…_

_A four poster bed, covered in red silk sheets. And surrounded by darkness. _

_He tried to move his wrists to push himself up, but realized that something was holding him back. Chains. On his wrists. He tugged at them uselessly, hoping for them to break somehow…_

_The cold metal bit painfully into his wrists. Giving up, he concentrated on rolling to his knees. He was so cold. It was getting harder to move._

_As he gained a sense of his surroundings, he realized that he was naked. He felt the cold even more sharply now, painfully aware of his vulnerability. _

_The cold air bit painfully at his tender flesh; his tears fell hot on his cheeks. Al most scalding his frigid skin._

_Where am I?_

_What is this place? _

_Fear curled in his stomach and he couldn't stop the sob that tore out of his throat. The sound echoed harshly through the darkness._

"_Are you scared, dobe?" It was that voice again_

_That voice……deep, throbbing and smooth…_

_Strange, yet oddly familiar…_

_From the shadows, a figure was approaching._

_A demon…no, an angel…_

_Perfect, flawless white skin._

_Hair as black as ink._

_Eyes as dark and as endless as a black hole._

_Perfect lips, features chiseled from ice. A sculpture._

_As the figure came closer, the darkness began to recede and revealed, blue. A cave of glittering ice. Sharp, glittering ice. And the soft bed. A strange contrast of sharp and soft…_

_And him…_

_Sasuke._

_In all his ethereal beauty. In all his painful perfection. _

_If I touch him, I'll come away bleeding, Naruto thought distractedly._

_A vision of desire, and sexuality. Tight, black leather pant, covered long, muscular legs. Black, unlaced army boots, sagging around his ankles. His muscled, broad chest bare, and perfectly smooth._

_The cold didn't effect him at all, as he smirked and approached the shivering, vunerably Naruto, crouched on the bed. Afraid. So alone…_

"_Are you afraid dobe?" came the mocking question again._

"_N-no," Naruto managed between his chattering teeth, He couldn't show his fear…or his pain. Not to him._

"_You're lying."_

_Naruto couldn't retaliate, as he felt all the strength disappear from his body. He couldn't resist…not anymore. It was too hard._

_So cold…_

_Sasuke was in front of him now, before the bed, staring down at him/_

"_You killed them Naruto. You murdered them."_

_Naruto vehemently shook his head._

_It wasn't true…_

_It couldn't be… _

"_N-no! I would never! I couldn't……"_

"_Yes you could. And you did." Was the dreaded response. "Now you're like me. A cold blooded killer. A murderer."_

_More tears fell, and his chains clinked as he scrambled away from the daunting angel. Sasuke._

_Who was currently crawling towards Naruto. He cowered away, expecting a killing blow. But Sasuke kept coming until he was on all fours leaning over Naruto and looking down on his with this cold, soulless eyes._

_So cold…_

"_You're pathetic…"_

_The words rang of the ice, chiming like a thousand glass bells. So beautiful. So hauntingly beautiful it made his heart ache painfully. _

_He averted his eyes, unable to face Sasuke's disgust. Unable to look upon his perfection for fear of damaging his beauty with his dirty sins._

_Echoeing silence. Then…_

"_Do you want me dobe?"_

_Naruto's eyes sprang open in shock, and he was speechless once more. Capture by his midnight eyes. Moving suddenly, with a speed hardly visible to the naked eye, Sasuke's lips hovered over Naruto's, millimeters above his. Barely touching, and yet, there._

"_I said, do you want me dobe?" It was a husky whisper this time, not a demand, and Naruto shuddered._

"_Y-yes…"_

_Sasuke smirked that old familiar smirk, and ran a cold hand over Naruto's naked chest. Then his lips descended on Naruto's briefly before pulling away, and breathing out a chilling mist over his lips. Sweet…_

_His lips, like everything else about him, were cold. _

_And Naruto closed his eyes, taking Sasuke's mist down into the depths of his lungs…_

A sharp cry sounded as Naruto jerked awake, flying into a sitting position.

"..ruto?" the question was tentative, fearful.

He could feel the tears on his face, and raised a hand to touch his cheek, dazed and confused. His hand trembled uncontrollably as the details of the horrible dream retuned. So much death. So much sin. _His_ sins. Blood……

"Naruto?" the voice sounded again and he turned his head towards the voice. A face filled his blurry vision, and he focused on it with difficulty. Neji.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

He remember Neji, and the weapons embedded in his body.

The blood….

His words….._Filthy demon……_

_Please, not again…_

He flinched away, expecting a blow that never came. Neji withdrew a little, then took his shoulders firmly in his hands.

"Naruto. Its okay. It was only a nightmare."

_A nightmare. Was it really? Or was it reality? The future?_

"Whatever you saw, it isn't real. It didn't happen. It's okay now." Nejis voiced was quiet and it penetrated through the fear and grief, and registered in Naruto's clouded mind.

Sharp relief flooded through him and with it came fresh tears. They were all alive. Alive and healthy._ But for how long much longer?_

Without warning, he threw himself at Neji, sobbing uncontrollably. Neji's arms immediately folded around him. _A ninja should not act like this…he needed to get his control back…_a small corner of his mind was whispering to him.

"You're okay now Naruto. I'm still here." Neji murmured soothingly.

For several minutes Neji held his friend, his captain as he sobbed, and gradually, the hysterical Naruto calmed until he lay quiet and docile. Neji stroked the soft golden locks fondly.

"Its okay. Go back to sleep."

Naruto tensed for a moment, and then relaxed again.

"You'll stay with me?" came the sleep, hesitant voice.

"Of course. Sleep Naruto. I'm right here."

Naruto slowly drifted off into an endless sea of black. _This time, he didn't dream..._

* * *

Okies, I realise this whole chapter is about Naruto's dream, but I felt the need to have it in. Trust me, it is necessary to the plot and there will be plot! The next chapter (and I know I keep saying this) will be the last of development before the fighting! Gomen nasi for the delay, but I am making half of this up as I go, so please be patient, and I promise that I'm getting there. Slowly, but I am! 

And I'm so proud of myself! I actually quite like this "dream" and I hope you do too! Review and tell me what you think!

P.S. Sonic-Stage if you're reading this, I swear its not a Neji/Naru fic! Plz, before you start throwing sharp objects at me, trust me when I say that THIS IS A SASU/NARU fic! OKies? Don't kill me…..I value my life more than you'll ever know…..


	9. Aftermath

YOSH! Chapter Eight! Hehehe! So happy! Now we have plot development! Aren't we all happy! Its getting somewhere! And even though I only got one review for the last chapter (Crimson Reality, my most beloved, kind reviewer!) I'm going to keep posting anyway, because it gives me something to do!

So this is the next chapter. And I'm not sure, but I need someone to tell me which leader belongs to which village- ie. Konoha has the Hokage, Sand has the Kazekage, but I don't know the others. So could someone be really nice and enlighten me? It would be greatly appreciated! And just so you all know, I only watch the anime, I don't read manga, so if any of this is wrong in accordance with the manga, bear this in mind, and remember it's a fiction that I created, so what happens is whatever I can think of. Okies? Now that that's sorted out, we'll move on, shall we?

**Disclaimer: **None of the characters or any of the story line of Naruto belong to me (good thing too! It would be seriously weird by now!)

**Warnings: **Hmmm….in this chapter, there's not much bad/naughty stuff…maybe a few vague references to violence, but nothing much! Your minds shall remain uncorrupted for this one!

Chapter Eight: _Aftermath_

Naruto turned his face up to the warm spray of the shower and closed his eyes, letting the hot water course over his body. It felt good and soothing as he washed away the sweat from his nightmare. As the water ran down the drain, so did the remains of panic and fear.

He'd slept peacefully after that nightmare. In fact, he'd slept for two days straight, and now he felt like he was about to burst with restored energy. He felt rested, and relaxed, and he hadn't felt like this in years. He liked it. He also knew that he wouldn't be getting another sleep like that in a long time.

When he'd woken up, he'd found Neji sprawled on a mattress next to him, his hair tangled messily about him. It had been a rare sight indeed to see the normally well-groomed man so mussed up from sleep. Suppressing his laughter with some difficulty, Naruto had made his way to the ensuite bathroom. The only question he had was why was Neji here in the first place?

No matter, Neji would update him as soon as he woke up.

Naruto smiled gratefully, remembering the comfort Neji had provided during the aftermath of his nightmare. He was glad Neji had been there. He didn't know what he would have done if he'd been alone. Definitely something regrettable.

But now that the effects of the nightmare had worn off, Naruto was calm, in an eery sort of way. H was able to contemplate the problems that were associated with this latest development.

As he washed his hair, he went over everything in his mind, carefully picking everything apart and examining it carefully before putting it back together again.

It was a nightmare, true. But there was something _different_ about it. Naruto felt slightly disturbed by this. It hadn't felt completely natural, which meant that someone was playing with his mind. Perhaps they were premonitions of some kind?

Naruto dismissed the idea almost immediately. It didn't seem probable. Who would have such powers anyway?

Immediately his mind came up with several possible answers to that particular question, and he darkened. He knew of several people, none of whom he particularly cared for.

Giving his body a last rinse off, he turned off the taps and reached for a towel.

A sudden whirlwind of sand in the middle of the bathroom announced Gaara's arrival.

"Is this how you normally greet people who've just stepped out of the shower?" Naruto asked, amused.

Gaara ignored him, and Naruto sighed inwardly. Gaara had never really appreciated his sense of humor, and he had a feeling that he never would.

"You're up," was what he said instead.

"Obviously," Naruto replied dryly, rolling his eyes as he dried off. He was not in the least bit embarrassed about Gaara seeing him naked. Shinobi seldom had times to think about such things, and Naruto had never been bothered about others seeing his body before. He wasn't about to start now.

Gaara handed him his freashly-laundered clothes.

"Thanks."

"Who's that in your room?" Gaara asked bluntly with a frown on his pale face.

"Neji? I thought you knew he was here?" Naruto asked confused. "It is your house after all."

"Temari must have let him in. I have been on a mission for the last few days." Gaara said. "Who is he?"

"Hyuuga Neji. He was the one I fought in the chuunin exams, remember?"

"I remember."

"He's a member of my Anbu team now. Very powerful. If I hadn't taken the captain position, Neji would have gotten it." Naruto continued, as he finished dressing. He raked his fingers through his wet hair to give it some resemblance of order and then turned to Gaara. His eyes had taken on a distant look, which meant he was thinking about something. Naruto immediately perked up, his attention caught. But he hid his smile, a plan developing in his mind.

"Come on, I'll introduce you."

Naruto grabbed his arm and dragged a slightly annoyed Gaara into the bedroom.

Nehi was already awake and sitting up on his mattress on the floor. He'd used his fingers to get rid of the knots in his hair, and it was now neat again. His torso was bare and he wore only his Anbu pants, revealing a well-muscled chest, littered with faint scars.

"Morning Neji!" Naruto greeted him cheerfully.

Neji eyed him for a moment, as if deciding whether or not he was truly okay and fit to be up and about. After suffering through Neji's silent scrutiny, Naruto gestured to Gaara.

"Gaara, this Neji. Neji, this is Gaara"

Neji stood up, with his normal cool, elegant composure. He bowed respectfully, his silky hair fally gracefully over his shoulders like a waterfall.

Naruto glanced at Gaara, who was watching Neji with a slightly predatory glint in his eyes.

"Gaara-sama. Forgive my presence in your house. Your sister brought me here."

Trust Neji. He was so polite and he valued good manners and tradition highly.

Neji straightened and brushed his hair off his face. He was taller than Gaara by quite a bit….

"What are you doing here, Neji?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Hokage-sama was worried about your well being, and sent me here."

Gaara eyed him.

"Was she worried that we would nistreat him?" he asked, a sharp tone in his voice.

Neji met his eyes squarely and held his gaze. Neji was used to people with short tempers. After all, he frequently dealt with Tsunade. Not to mention Naruto himself. He wouldn't back down if he knew he was right about something, and he knew how to diplomatically soothe a potentially damaging situation. He had all the political skills that Naruto lacked, and Naruto often used them to his advantage. Neji had no problem with this at all and always knew when to step in.

"Of course not. He left without giving any notice, and she merely wanted me to check if all was well." Neji replied calmly. "Besides, I have that report you requested, and she didn't feel comfortable giving it to a messenger she didn't know and trust. She thought it would be better if I delivered it myself."

Gaara nodded, and seemed to be placated by this.

"Report? What report?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know. I didn't read it." Neji answered.

"Why not?" Naruto asked, absently mindedly straightening the bedclothes as he await Neji's reply.

Neji frowned.

"Because that would be violating the Hokage's trust in me. I was only asked to deliver it."

"That old hag wouldn't have known if you had read it." Naruto countered. "Sometimes you need to bend the rules a bit."

"It wasn't my place to pry." Neji maintained, and Naruto sighed.

Neji wouldn't change his views easily. He was too honorable. Well, Naruto would just have to work him down, little by little, until he saw Naruto's point of view.

Neji pulled a scroll out of his bag and handed it to Gaara.

"The report."

"Arigato." Gaara murmured. He took it and turned to leave.

"Naruto. Temari's downstairs cooking breakfast. I suggest you get down there soon, or things could get quite ugly for you."

Naruto grinned, and Neji groaned inwardly. Naruto was up to something, and it could only mean trouble for Neji, who usually had to clean up the mess that Naruto made.

Naruto and Neji were currently in Gaara's small study, waiting for said person to arrive. Neji was seated in one of the chairs before the desk, while Naruto was wandering around the room, fiddling with things.

"He's doing well for himself, ne?" Naruto mused. "Temari thinks the Kazekage is considering him to be his successor."

"Hmm." Neji's eyes were followed Naruto around the room. "Naruto."

The tone of Neji's voice made Naruto stop moving and face him.

"Are you…okay now?" He asked hesitantly. "The nightmare, I mean."

Naruto gave a small smile and sat in the chair next to Neji's.

"Yeah. I'm okay." Naruto replied quietly as he leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "But…I don't think I could have dealt with it if I had been alone. Thank you Neji."

"No thanks in needed. You're my friend. It was my duty."Neji told him. "Will you tell me about it?"

At first Neji thought he wasn't going to reply. He stayed quiet for a while, his blue eyes unfocused and slightly troubled.

"It..was…I was at the gates of Konoha. I knew something wasn't right because it was completely deserted, and silent. Some of the building were damaged."Naruto began, and Neji listened closely, watching Naruto's face as he spoke. A knot of tension was beginning to form in the centre of his chest already; if it had been bad enough to freak Naruto out, then it had to have been horrible.

"I was in the school. In iruka's classroom again. At first I though it was empty, but then I heard a noise. Iruka was…hurt. There was blood everywhere. I held his hand and he told me I'd betrayed him. He died before my very eyes and faded away."

Naruto explained about what had followed after with Kakashi at the bridge and at Sakura's apartment. Then he stopped.

"What happened next?" Neji prompted gently, knowing there was more to the story.

Naruto drew in a breath and exhaled loudly, seemingly reluctant to continue.

"Do you remember her balcony? Where I told you about the Akatsuki?"

Neji nodded but didn't speak.

"You were there. You were dying too. I was about to go get help. But you stopped me. Said things…" he stopped.

"What kind of things?" Neji asked sharply, desperate to know.

Naruto's eyes met his.

"You called me a filthy demon. Told me you should have killed me years ago."

Neji's eyes widened at the blunt words, horrified and shocked. But what scared him more was Naruto's face. Expressionless. Empty.

Neji knew how much those words would have cut at the time, how they must have hurt.

"Naruto, I…" he began.

"Its okay Neji. I know you wouldn't say those things." Naruto said, his eyes meeting Neji's once more. This time however, there was an odd little smile on his face. A smile filled with…a strange haunting pain. An old pain, one he was obviously used to by now.

He knew what loneliness and doubt Naruto had felt when he was younger. Now Nruto's eyes held those old doubts again. Neji wasn't sure which was worse. The emptiness, or the loneliness and doubts.

_Maybe he actually believes he's a demon…he can't see that the demon and himself are two separate beings…_

And Neji could do nothing to make him believe otherwise, or heal that wound. Neji cleared his throat. Something told him that there was more to Naruto's nightmare, but he didn't push. If he wasn't telling him something, he had a good reason for it. May be it was too painful, or too personal. Naruto stood up and moved to look out the window.

"That's a bad nightmare." Neji commented.

Naruto nodded. "But it sounds pathetic when I explain it. Look at me, acting like a child again. Afraid of a dream."

"No it was bad. To watch the people you care about die before your eyes and to believe it was your fault is a terrible thing to experience. I should know." Neji murmured.

Naruto didn't say anything. He was back to his old serious self again. Neji hadn't found out what had made Naruto amused earlier; he'd almost been like his old self for awhile. But it was gone now. A brief glimpse of what used to be.

Neji fiddled absentmindedly with the hem of his shirt and looked around. Gaara….The strange red head with those captivating shadowed eyes. He was so similar to Naruto. Their eyes were the same.

But they were so different. Gaara had the aura of one who was just learning how to live normally. Naruto had the aura of one who was only half-alive, and suffering in his solitude.

Gaara carried himself in a contained manner, quiet, but confident. Neji had felt how powerful the red head was; there was no doubt that he rivaled Naruto for the position of being among most powerful and strongest.

Neji was in the shadow of these two shinobi, and he was in no rush to change that. They were both insanely strong, and Neji wasn't sure what he'd do with such immense power. He knew he was lucky to have Naruto as an ally and not an enemy. He knew that Naruto would fight to the death to protect him. To protect any of his precious people. He was so stubbornly loyal to those that he loved that he would willingly sign his life away if only to let them live for a while longer.

But Gaara….he was entranced by the strangely handsome demon-container. He'd know immediately that he was attracted to Gaara, but that all took a back seat to his duty to Naruto, his captain.

Neji adamantly pushed these thoughts of Gaara from his mind as heat flushed through his body. He couldn't afford to think about him. Not now, anyway.

The door opened then, and the object of his thoughts walked in.

Naruto turned as Gaara seated himself at his desk and set down an armful of scrolls.

"Evening Gaara."

Gaara grunted in reply and leaned back in his chair. He looked faintly tired, and the ever present black circles under his eyes didn't help to dispel the illusion..

Naruto noted subtly that Neji's eyes were latched intently onto Gaara's face. He knew it. Neji was attracted to Gaara.

_Which could become another problem entirely…_

"Naruto. My Kazekage has ordered me to tell you all I know of the Akatsuki."

Naruto stiffened as his attention immediately switched to Gaara. A corner of the Sand nin's mouth quirked.

"Tell me." Naruto sat down next to Neji.

"Some of their members were sighted down in Thunder country a few weeks ago. It wasn't a clear sighting, so we don't know which members they were."

"Thunder country you say?" Naruto asked, a frown appearing on his face as he processed the information.

Gaara nodded in confirmation.

"It's the first time in years they've been sighted, and the Thunder country sent out spies to follow them."

"I'm guessing it didn't go too well?"

"They were found a few days later by a messenger. They died slowly."

Torture wasn't the best way to go. And if the perpetrators were the Akatsuki, it was guaranteed to be painful.

"The Rai kage sent out messengers to alert their allies," Gaara continued

A.N: I'm only guessing that the leader of the secret village of lightning is the Raikage. Correct me if I'm wrong.!

"And you told us. That's why your security is so tight." Neji said slowly.

Gaara nodded once more, his eyes flickering over Neji's face before they returned once more to Naruto.

"Its not much to go on really."

"Considering the fact that it's the first sighting in years, it's plausible that whatever they're planning is ready to be executed now." Neji said.

Naruto nodded.

"You're probably right. It's a logical conclusion."

"It means that not only you and I are in danger, but all the villagers too." Gaara said quietly.

"Where does Orochimaru fall into all of this?" Naruto asked suddenly, noticing how Neji stiffened, and Gaara's eyes became more alert when he said this. He decided to let it go and ignored their rather obvious reactions.

"It's a common know fact that he was once part of their organization. We don't know why he left though. Obviously, they disagreed about something. They are not allied any more. Tha's the extent of our knowledge."

Naruto was unhappy with the situation. Something wasn't adding up. There wasn't enough information and he couldn't be satisfied until he knew more.

"Naruto. The Kazekage wants to formalize the treaty between the sand and leaf. He wishes an alliance treaty to be drawn up."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Tsunade-baa-chan has been talking of making such a contract for awhile now."

"Is it suitable to assume that you'll act as ambassador for the time being?"

Glancing at Neji quickly, he nodded.

"Yes. Temporarily. I still have duties in Konoha that I must attend to soom."

"Understood."Gaara rose from his chair and led them to the door. "Come with me. The Kazekae waits."


	10. Dust in the Wind

Hello again everyone! Its been awhile since I updated hasn't it? Well I have a good excuse….(no really!) I've actually had exams for the last week and I've been sick, so I've either not had the time, or haven't felt up to posting.

But anyways, I'm pleased to announce that I have been busy…I've got the next three chapters ready to be typed, so the updates will be a lot faster from now on!

Anyways, this chapter probably isn't that good, but it is just a bridging chapter to get to where I want….if you know what I mean! And I've already decided to write a sequel to this story, and I plan for it to be a happier one! See? I'm not always mean!

Anyway, I can't remember if I got any reviews for the last chapter, but I think I got a few. Thanks to anyone who did review though!

**Disclaimer: ** None of the naruto characters belong to me….nothing about it does actually…but you already knew that didn't you?

**Warnings: **nothing really for this chapter. It pretty mild at the moment. Soz!

* * *

Chapter Nine: _Dust in the Wind_

It was late. Past midnight in fact but the meeting still had not ended. Neji looked visibly tired, but his attention did not waver. Gaara, the Kazekage and Naruto slaved ruthlessly on. Like Naruto, they were not tired. If they were it was well hidden.

The Kazekage was writing up the final copy of the official alliance treaty when a loud commotion was heard outside. Moments later a heavy pounding sounded on the door and a sand nin burst through the door.

"Kazekage-sama! There's a messenger from Konoha! He has an urgent message!"

They all stood immediately and followed the nin, matching his hurried pace easily.

In front of the tower, a number of ninja had had gathered forming a tight circle around the messenger. Naruto pushed through the crowd before stopping when he saw who it was.

"Lee!"

Neji was instantly at Lee's side, supporting the heavily breathing shinobi. He looked terrible. Sweat poured down his face, and he was covered in dust and leaves were tangled in his hair. His clothes sported several rips and tears. More noticeably, his infamous weights were missing, which meant that he had been running at full speed to reach them. And full speed for Lee was incredibly fast.

"Get him some water," the Kazekage snapped.

A water flask was quickly supplied, and Lee drank gratefully. Neji supported the bottle for him. He was so tired he could barely hold it up unaided.

Once he'd drank his fill he wiped his mouth with a trembling arm.

"Thanks," he said with a tired smile.

"What's going on Lee?" Naruto kneeled in front of the tired man.

"The hidden village of Mist is under attack. A messenger arrived in Konoha a few hours ago."

"Under attack?" Neji asked confused.

Murmurs ran through the gathered ninjas and the Kazekage gestured impatiently for silence.

"From who?"

"The messenger said that they had no forehead protectors. He thinks they don't belong to any village." Lee paused to let this sink in then continued. "They are very strong. The mist forces have been severely depleted already."

"So no one knows who's leading them?" Naruto questioned.

"They're thought to be missing nin from everywhere. And the Akatsuki are rumored to have been spotted amoungst them."

Lee met Naruto's eyes.

"Hokage-sama wants you back immediately."

Naruto nodded and stood up.

The Kazekage was already giving orders to his men, doubling the guard around the village and organizing briefings.

"Neji." Naruto called sharply.

"Hai."

Neji stood and they fixed their masks in place as they pulled up the hoods of their cloaks.

Gaara came and stood before them.

"We'll see that Lee gets treated, and on his way back as soon as possible.

"Thank you."

"Here is your copy of the treaty. It top priority for both of our villages now."

"I understand." There was a moments pause between them after Naruto took the documents.

"The kaze kage will probably send me to collect the signed treaty, so I'll see you in a few days." Gaara said as he clasped hands with Naruto.

"Arigato Gaara. For everything."

Gaara nodded.

"Remember what I told you. Watch your back."

Neji and Gaara stared at each other for a moment, their gazes locked intently on one another.

"Neji. Lets go."

"Hai Captain."

Making the necessary hand seals they disappeared in a cloud on chakra smoke.

"Hokage-sama." Naruto bowed as Tsunade turned away from the man she was talking to. Te doctor left them alone after bowing swiftly.

Having arrived in Konoha, Neji and Naruto had gathered up the rest of their team and located Tsunade in the hospital.

"Captain. I take it that Lee has informed you of the situation?"

Naruto smiled behind his mask; whilst in the presence of others (except, perhaps the people who knew them personally), Tsunade and Naruto addressed each other with the correct titles and treated each other respectfully.

Which defiantly wasn't the case when they were alone.

"That is correct Hokage-sama. What would you have us do?"

Tsunade contemplated him for a moment. He could see the worry and anxiety in her eyes. Whatever was going on, it had her worried.

"Have your team summon all available shinobi and Anbu. I'm calling an emergency meeting. Also contant the shinobi on patrol and inform them that we're now on alert two." She ordered. "I want a word with you privately captain."

Naruto turned to Neji and his team.

"You have your orders. Dismissed."

They all nodded and took off.

Tsunade finally gave him a tired smile.

"I'm glad you're back brat. I was about to start worrying."

"Nothing to worry about Tsunade-baa-chan." He replied, promptly re-assuring her.

She playfully swung a fist at his head and he ducked easily.

"Gaara informed you of the Akatsuki I'm guessing?"

Naruto nodded, relieved that he wouldn't get Jiraiya in trouble again.

"From now on Naruto, you're not to leave konoha without my specific permission. Even if someone tells you that I said it was okay I want you to come to me immediately to confirm."

She was perfectly serious now, and she meant every word she way saying. Naruto had no choice but to obey. He held her eyes squarely.

"You _know_ what they'll do to you if you get within their grasp. You and your team shall be assigned permanently to me. Meaning that you won't be involved in any combat unless its _absolutely_ necessary or for your own defence. Is that clear enough for you?"

He nodded and knew better than to be disappointed. It was for his own protection. Or rather, the protection of the demon that he carried within his body, ironically enough.

"It is, Tsunade. You can trust me not to do anything stupid."

"I know I can, Naruto." She paused for a moment, as if she was making up her mind about something. "I need you to do something else for me. It'll be difficult, but I think it'll be best if you did it."

He nodded, worried now. Apprehension made his shoulders tense up painfully. He prepared himself for the worst.

"What is it?"

"Its about Kakashi and Genma."

Naruto's heart dropped to the vicinity of his feet.

"What happened?"

"You remember that they went to spy?"

He nodded impatiently.

"We lost contact with the a few days ago. They've been declared missing in action. Gomen ne"

Naruto bowed his head to hide the pain that he knew was in his eyes. Kakashi…..the sensei of team seven and his close personally friend. They had survived through many missions together- first as teacher and student, then as comrades.

He was also Iruka's lover and best friend, which made him an almost-father to Naruto.

_Iruka……_

"You want me to tell him."

"Hai. You can refuse if you want. I know you're close to him. I thought it would be easier for him if it was someone he trusted."

He nodded again, and fought down his distress. He had to be strong. For Iruka.

Besides, missing in action didn't mean death. It meant that they'd lost contact with them. It could mean that they were in a difficult situation and hadn't been able to send word yet. Any shinobi could find himself in such a situation, and it wasn't uncommon.

"I'll do it Tsunade. I'd rather it was me anyway."

Tsunde smile sympathetically at him.

"Thank you Naruto. Remember the meeting in half an hour."

"I'll be there."

He left quickly after that.

Once outside, he stopped for a moment to gather his thoughts and collect himself.

His breathing quickened as he struggled to regain control. He couldn't lose a precious person. Not now. Not Kakashi.

He pressed a hand tightly to his eyes and pushed the tears back. Another person from team seven missing. How much longer would it be until the whole team was gone?

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment and took deep breaths until he felt calm again. It was all a part of being a shinobi. It was all a part of life.

Slowly, he headed towards the apartment that Iruka and Kakashi chared. In his mind he was trying to figure out how he would break the news to Iruka.

He arrived at his unofficial foster parent's house and knocked firmly on the door. Iruka was probably fast asleep. It was four in the morning, and any sane person would be in bed.

But then, Naruto's own sanity had always been questionable, according to some.

He'd often spent days on end here, and it had become more of a home to him than his own apartment. Kakashi and Iruka had moved in together a long time ago, and Naruto had been happy and slightly relieved. He didn't like Iruka being alone. He was a kind and affectionate person who needed human contact. Living alone didn't suit him, Naruto had always thought. Naruto was a different case now. Instead of constantly craving companionship and attention from others, he now craved peace and solitude, preferring to spend time with the few people he knew and cared for.

He heard the shuffling of feet within the apartment before the door opened, revealing a sleepy Iruka. He was wearing a pair of grey house pants indictating that he had been asleep.

"Naruto? What's going on?" the chuunin asked.

He stepped back to admit Naruto and shut the door.

"I came to talk." He said hesitantly. "I sorry for waking you."

"Its okay. I'll make some tea."

Naruto felt terrible. He was about to break Iruka's heart, and he hated hurting people.

When the tea was ready, and they were seated opposite each other at the kitchen table, Iruka covered Naruto's hands with his own. His eyes were concerned and worried, and all of it was for him.

"What is it, Naruto? You look upset. Whatever it is you can tell me." Iruka said his voice gentle and warm.

Naruto swallowed thickly, and turned his hands so he could squeeze Iruka's.

"Iruka-sensei. Tsunade sent me here." He began, as he debated how to break the news to Iruka as gently as possible.

"Why?"

"There was an attack on the Hidden village of Mist. It is thought that the akatsuki are leading the assault."

Iruka's eyes widened and he returned the pressure of Naruto's own grip.

"Kuso….that means…"

"They'll be after me, yes." Naruto looked down at their clasped hands to avoid meeting Iruka's eyes. "But I didn't come here to talk about that."

"Go on Naruto. Just tell me what's bothering you, whatever it is."

"Kakashi and Genma…they've been declared missing in action."

Iruka's grip tightened even more, and Naruto looked up. All the blood had drained from Iruka's face, and he was trembling slightly.

"We lost contact with them a few days ago. Tsunade thought I should tell you. Gomen nasi, Iruka sensei." He continued.

Iruka didn't say anything. His face flickered with a multitude of different emotions, changing from fear, pain and anxiety, to settle eventually into an almost unnatural calm.

"Iruka?"

"Its okay, Naruto." Iruka whispered. "Its part of being a shinobi. He knows that and so do i. We said our goodbyes before he left, just in case something happened."

"I'm so sorry Iruka….."

"Come here."

Naruto skirted around the table and went into Iruka's arms. The man clutched him, and Naruto let him, knowing he needed the comfort and closeness of another human being.

"He'll turn up. He has you to come back to." Naruto said quietly into the man's bare chest." I know I'd fight through fire and water to get back to you, and he would too."

Iruka chuckled hoarsely.

"I know. Besides, I don't think he's dead."

Naruto pulled back so he could see his face.

"How do you know?"

"I think I would sense it if he was dead."

Naruto nodded, slightly doubtful, but he didn't contradict him. It would give Iruka strength and help keep him together. Naruto wouldn't take that security away from him.

"Iruka, we have an emergency meeting we need to attend."

Iruka released him and stood up. "I'll go get ready."

Naruto released a breath when Iruka hurried out of the room. That had been the hardest thing he had to do in a long time, and he prayed that he would never have to do anything like it again.

Naruto and Iruka found Neji in the crowd, and they made their way over to join him.

"Where's the rest of the team?" Naruto asked.

"I sent them to get word to the patrols."

Naruto nodded, and glanced worridly at Iruka. He was so calm, so collected and it didn't seem natural to him. If it was him in Iruka's position, he'd be a nervous wreck.

Iruka caught his look and smiled at him as he leaned closer.

"I'm okay Naruto. Stop worrying." He whispered squeezing his shoulder.

"People! Lets have some quiet!" Tsunde stood up when she saw that all available shinobi were present.

The room was extremely crowded and stuffy from body heat. The noise stopped almost immediately.

"The village of Hidden Mist has been attacked by a group of unidentified nin. It is possible that they are being led by an organization called the Akatsuki. This has yet to be confirmed."

The crow was completely still, as everyone was focused on her words. Not one whisper could be heard. Yet.

"I regret to tell you that we are now at war. All missions not concerned with this situation will be put on hold for the time being. All possible man-power we have will be devoted to ending this conflict as sson as possible."

This statement caused and explosion of murmuring, as the full impact of what she had said registered. It had been years since Konoha had been a part of a war, and the last conflict, had involved the death of their previous hokage.

"What's going to happen with regards to the Hidden Mist?" someone called out.

"I'll be sending out some teams to assist in the defence of the village. Shizune will organize the teams and give a briefing. The defense of of Konoha is our first priority and comes first and foremost. The villagers will be put on alert. If the fighting comes anywhere remotely near the village, they'll be evacuated as quickly as possible."

"We will be fighting not only to protect the lives of innocent people, but to protect the ideals and the freedom of our people. If we don't stop this war as soon as possible, then things will only get worse for us. This si what you've been trained for. You are weapons of Konoha, and you will be according utilized."

Naruto felt a frown on his face. He'd heard words like this before.

Haku…..he'd called himself Zabuza's weapon, an instrument to be used. He'd lived his life as an object of someone else, and he'd done it willingly too. At the time, it had upset him immensely, and he had thought it a terrible way to live.

But time changed peoples views. It was a harsh reality to face, but it was true. He was a weapon of konoha. His loyalty was to his people and to Tsunade. He belonged to the Hokage.

_Just as Sasuke belongs to Orochimaru now._

He turned away from these thoughts angrily. Now was not a time to be thinking of the past. The village was at war, and he would be playing a vital part in this war.

"Two of our spies who were sent on a recon mission have gone missing. I want everyone to remain alert and listen for rumors of their whereabouts."

Naruto felt Iruka stiffen slightly next to him. He knew better than to say anything though, so he pretended he didn't notice anything.

"The Anbu forces will be assigned special missions immediately. The rest of you, go to the mission room, and you'll be assigned missions accordingly. I want the guard on the wall doubled , and I want patrols to be sent out every half and hour. I want you all to be prepared for attack. Move out."

* * *

Hope you're not too bored after reading that! Please keep reading and remember: 

REVIEWING FASTER UPDATES!

And I'm not opposed to a little bribery either... But….updates are better! So update!

So until next time peoples. Adios!


	11. All the Rivers Run Red

Konichiwa everyone! Finally, I've returned with the next chapter! I won't bore you with he details of _ why_ I haven't updated in awhile (I'll spare you that much at least!). Anyways, at the moment this story is moving very slowly, and I'm struggling to find inspiration at the moment, but I'm posting this anyway. Maybe one day I'll come back and revise the whole thing, but for now, you'll just have to put up with my bad writing if you can! Sorry!

**Thanks to:**

**Chocobaby: **I know! Iruka's always been one of my favorite characters, and I though it would be nice of Naruto to be the one to break the bad news to him, because they're almost like family really! Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Its very much appreciated!

**Ladiee yami: **Don't worry, I don't think I'll be killing either one of them off, so you don't need to stress! And rest assured that there will be a lot more angst and sasu/naru action in the later chapters (not too far off now!Yay!) Thanks for reviewing!

**Itzamez: **Hehe! Glad you're enjoying the story so far! I won't let anything (too) bad happen to Genma and Kakashi, but they won't be coming into the story for a few chapters yet, so you're going to have to wait awhile! (I'm evil aren't I? Sorry!) Please keep reading, and I hope you keep enjoying it too!

**Hotohori's Empress: **Sorry for the delayed update! I haven't had the motivation to type lately, but I'm back now! Forgive me! I should warn you that Orochimaru will be coming into the story line in the (near?) future, and he does play a fairly major role, but he won't meet a nice ending, so I hope you'll be happy with that! Thanks for your review!

**Ichigo-dattebayo: **New readers are always welcome! I'm so relieved that you've enjoyed it so far! I have that case of thinking my own work is all a load of crap, but I think many people have the yea? Hehe! Anyway, sorry about the spelling/grammatical errors, I'll try proof read better from now on! Forgive me? Thanks for your review!

**Disclaimer:** Neither the characters nor the concepts belong to me, but this storyline does!

**Warnings: **implied violence and death, angst, but not much else for this chappy!

**Important AN: **This chappy jumps forward about seven months. I don't want to write every single detail of the war out, so I'll be giving a brief overview of the whole thing. Hope this doesn't upset those fans who want lots of blood and gore….rest assured that this will come later! Now…Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Ten: _All the rivers run red_

War had broken out and it looked as if it wasn't going to end anytime soon. Bloody conflicts and vicious attacks had been occurring repeated throughout the past seven months in an almost endless cycle. All fragments of peace had crumbled under the daunting shadows of the Akatsuki's forces. The death tolls were rising higher by the day and injuries were horrific; many of the wounds had forced countless nin to face the bleak reality of never being about o fight again. Refugees were finding shelter in any place they could. Countless innocents were slaughtered by the Akatsuki's force of missing nin, and there was little anyone could do to stop the mindless killing. Their forces were too strong, and their numbers growing. They showed no mercy, and if they had any weaknesses, they were hiding them well.

The Hidden Village of Mist had fallen, and been razed to the ground. The survivors had taken refuge in other villages and proved to be of little use to the allied forces. The Hidden Village of Earth was drastically weakened and would undoubtedly fall any day now. There was not much that could be done for the poor souls who were remaining.

Alliances were weakened as the villages struggled to remain standing. Sand and Fire were the only ones who were holding out under the pressure and they showed no signs of being defeated just yet. But the tables could turn at any time, and the effects of the war were taking a heavy toll on everyone. The hospitals were almost completely full and supplies were barely covering the growing needs of the injured. Trade had slowed to a trickle and the villagers of Konoha were scared. The fighting had not breached Konoha's borders yet, but it would and soon.

Naruto had watched people around him fall. Almost every day he looked around, a few more faces disappeared as more comrades fell victim to the enemy. Ninja's he had known and respected killed in the most horrific ways imaginable, and he hadn't seen a battlefield often. He was still bound under his oath to Tsunade. No matter how bad things got out there, she still refused to send him and his team out to assist the struggling defenses.

Instead, she put him in control of intelligence, and organizing undercover missions. The Anbu were holding out, and they hadn't lost too many of their members yet, which as something to be thankful for, but they were stretched thin.

Everyone was tired. The stress and strain the war was putting on everyone was written plainly on their faces. Smiles were rare, and laughter was unheard of. It was a sound that was unfamiliar to Naruto these days, and truth be told he missed it dearly. Tempers were frayed and short, resulting in heated arguments. Naruto and Neji had broken up countless fights, and even they had begun to feel as if they were at the end of their tethers.

Although Naruto wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself, he was barely in control. He was feeling the strain as much as anyone was. Several friends of his had died, and he had yet to mourn them properly. The most he had been able to do was murmur a few words of blessing before rushing off the attend to some urgent duty. He barely had time to think of them throughout the day- in fact, he barely thought about anything other than what he had to do next these days. He didn't have the time or the energy to.

Gaara's brother Kankuro had died a few months ago, and although he hadn't been particularly close to the man, he still was upset. He couldn't begin to imagine how Gaara or Temari felt. Naruto hadn't seen much of the red- headed shinobi over the past few months. The current Kaze-kage had been seriously wounded, and Gaara had been forced into taking care of some of his duties as well as his own. It was a safe bet to say that Gaara was in a worse state then he himself was.

Kankuro wasn't the only one to go. Ten-ten, Neji's former teammate had died in one of the first battles of the war. He was still recovering from the loss and Naruto knew that he was blaming himself for not being there to protect her. This made Naruto feel guilty in turn, although Neji assured him that none of it was his fault. Of course, that didn't stop Naruto's feelings of guilt, and did little to appease his feelings.

Assuma had been killed also, along with several other Jounins, numerous Chuunins and a few genins. At the moment, Tsunade was keeping the Genin's away from the battle fronts as much as possible. All in all, Konoha hadn't suffered as many losses as the other villagers, and had most of the nin that Naruto had grown up around had survived so far. Whether this was because of their skills, or raw luck he was yet to decide. But several of his friends had been seriously wounded, and would be out of action for quite awhile. Choiji had been forbidden to fight. He could barely move, let alone o any form of fighting. Over use of his techniques had caused heavy damage to his muscles and had resulted in temporary paralysis. Ino was unconscious, having had her mind switching technique backfire against her when facing a particularly strong opponent. Sakura was unable to fight due to her budding pregnancy, but she was still helping at the hospital. There were so many injuries which needed tending to that the medic nins' were always short handed, and Sakura was one of the best and most widely learned of them all. Shizune and Tsunade were perhaps the exception of this. As for the rest of his friends, he had no idea where they were and what they were doing, but he tried to check up on them as much as he could, and make sure they were okay. It was difficult thought, and he was distressed when he didn't know if they were still alive or not. He had spent so much of his life alone with no body who cared for him, and now that he finally did, he tried his best to care for them and make sure they were safe. He didn't want to lose any more of his precious people….

Food and rest was scarce for everyone, and they were both taken whenever they were available. Naruto had barely sat down in almost two days straight, and he had Neji and the rest of his team running around almost non-stop. He had no choice in the matter. There was just so much to do. When he wasn't organizing the Anbu, he was carrying out missions within konoha, or guarding Tsunade when she was moving around Konoha. He didn't have the time or energy to worry about himself at the moment.

As of yet there had been no attacks on Naruto himself. He was vaguely surprised by this but had never gotten around to considering why this way. He was certainly well protected. His team surrounded him at all times. Wherever he went, they were always beside him. He was alternately grateful and frustrated by this. Neji and his team was his support network. They kept each other strong and watched each other's backs to ward off danger.

But this also frustrated him because he knew that other teams needed replacement members having lost team mates to injury and death. Tsunade had refused his request for them to be re-assigned elsewhere. He felt he was being baby sat, and although he knew that the explanation was perfectly reasonable and logical, he couldn't help feeling like it was also slightly patronizing in a way. It was as if they felt he couldn't protect himself and the demon that he carried, and he knew he could. He had done it countless times before, and had even escaped the Akatsuki's grasp before. If he could do it seven years ago, why couldn't he now, when he was at least two times as strong as he had been back then?

Naruto turned his mind from these resentful thought almost immediately. They were just looking out for them, he knew.

_But how much of it was because of the demon, and how much of it was because they actually cared about his safety and well being?_

He knew Tsunade cared. But he also knew that other shinobi and the majority of the villagers were resentful towards the tight protection network Tsunade had placed around him. They couldn't understand why he was so special, and why they should bother to waste time on protecting a demon vessel. What they didn't understand was that if the Akatsuki got their hands on him. Things would get ten times as bad for them as they were now, and it would result in a blood bath. No matter how much they hurt him with their words and looks, he didn't want that. They didn't deserve such a fate. They were only concerned about their own safety, and that of their families and friends.

People were still suffering and dying. All he saw on people's faces when he looked around was grief, sorrow and fear.

The older generations tried to shield and protect the young from the horrors and wars, but more often than not it was a lost cause. The dead were buried, and then people returned to their duties and concentrated on the simple act of surviving. There was no time for mourning. At least, not yet.

None of his close friends had been killed. But the reality was that it was only a matter of time before he lost some of them to death. If he lost any of his precious people, he didn't know what he would do. They were the only strength he had now. He relied on their support and the friendship too much to lose them. He physically ached when he thought of losing a single one of them.

_Neji…Shikamaru…Sakura, lee, Hinata, Kiba……Iruka._

His guardian was currently in charge of protecting the children, and had therefore seen little battle. But he heard the stories. Many of the children had lost parents, siblings, or friends to the war, and it was usually Iruka who had to break the news to them, who had to be the one to comfort the confused and sobbing children. This, in Naruto's opinion, had to one of the worst jobs. Naruto knew that Iruka wasn't sleeping well. The man was tired, and lonely. Kakashi had eventually been located in the Hidden Earth Village, and had remained there to aid in their crumbling defenses. He had not been home since the beginning of the war, and Iruka was missing him terrible, and was scared and worried. There was little he could do.

Naruto felt so powerless. There was little he could do to prevent the suffering he was surrounded by. Everyday, he felt a little more worn, a little more jaded, and he felt the weight resting on his shoulders steadily increase. His hands were bloodied with the deaths of faceless enemies. He was covered in sin and there was nothing he could do to make it all go away. Although he hadn't seen much frontline action, he had seen some other action, and had also contributed, indirectly, to several deaths. He had been involved in interrogations and torture. Tsunade didn't usually approve of torture as a method of interrogation, but it was necessary in these times. And he was always there, feeling life seep through his fingers as the prisoners died. Death was a part of life, no matter how it may be delivered. That was the way of ninja, and that was reality.

Yes, he was covered in sin. But that wasn't anything unusual.

* * *

He raised his hand and knocked on the Hokages door before entering. 

"Tsunade. The report from the western border," he said, unable to keep his weariness from his voice.

Tsunade looked no better than he. Naruto was glad he wasn't in her shoes, despite feeling sorry for her.

"Thank you Captain." She accepted it and set it down without looking through it.

"Captain, you and your team take the night off. You've been working non-stop like dogs for the last three days, and things have died down for a bit. There's nothing pressing that you need to take care of at the moment. Take advantage of it."

Naruto didn't like the idea of taking the offered break. He knew there was things that needed to be done, and things he could help with, and he didn't feel right taking free time when others were still working. Tsunade seemed to guess his thoughts though and she glared at him.

"Naruto, this is an order. You've been working twice as hard as any one else, and you need the rest."

He bowed at last.

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

He followed Neji towards the door, but stopped when Tsunade called out to him.

"Lee was injured today. I believe he's been treated and is at home now. Perhaps Sakura could use your support for awhile." Tsunade suggested.

Naruto forced himself not to panic as worry coursed through him, and he knew Neji felt the same; the creases around his pale eyes betrayed his otherwise calm exterior.

Together, after exiting the Hokage tower, they raced without a word to Sakura's apartment and pounded half frantically on the door.

After a few agonising moments, a serene Sakura answered the door.

"Lee?" They blurted out breathlessly.

She smiled reassuringly at them and they breathed a little easier. If she was smiling, things couldn't be all that bad right?

"He's okay. Just sleeping at the moment." She informed them as she let them in.

They breathed simultaneous sighs of relief and collapsed bonelessly on the couch.

Sakura joined them and rubbed her protruding stomach gently.

"Why are you so calm?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"Because he'll be out of the combat zones for awhile. No fighting, no danger."

"At least he'll get some rest and replenish his chakra supplies." Neji commented.

Sakura gave them a sympathetic smile when she saw how tired they were.

"I wish I could help you guys somehow. I just feel so…useless." She said.

Naruto cut her off before she said anything else.

"Be glad you're not out there, Sakura. Its bad."

She didn't comment, but nodded towards Neji. Naruto followed her nod.

Neji had fallen asleep where he sat, still dressed in his Anbu clothes and his armor. While on duty, Neji wore his hair tied up in a tight pony tail. Naruto let it out now, and gently removed all his armor and outer layers of sweat and dirt soaked clothing. He pushed the exhausted man into a lying position and covered him with the blanket that Sakura handed to him.

"What about you? You need to rest too." She whispered to him.

"Not yet Sakura. I want to talk with you for awhile."

He didn't need to say that he craved some normal conversation. He needed something to distract him and remind him that there was something besides fighting and death.

He followed her soundlessly as she padded into the kitchen, and helped her to make tea. She let him, knowing what he needed.

"How are you Sakura?" he asked as they sat together on the balcony a few moments later.

She gave his hand a light squeeze before sipping her tea and rubbing her belly again.

"Tired. Being pregnant makes me tired and sucks all my energy."

"And all that hospital work.."

"Isn't hard," she cut in. "They put me on the lightest duties, so I still have plenty of chakra for me and the baby. Don't worry about me so much Naruto. Concentrate on yourself, for once. Concentrate on surviving this war"

He couldn't even manage to smile, or pretend that he was okay right now.

"I don't know if I can. What am I supposed to do when all of this is over? I can never forget any of this. What I've done….or him."

There was a brief flash of pain, but nothing else. He was too tired for this….too tired to even feel anything anymore. He was not even lonely at the moment. All he felt was this overwhelming, consuming exhaustion.

He had not thought of him is weeks.

"What else is there?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

She took him hands in her own warms ones, jolting him out the half daze he had fallen into.

"You shouldn't forget. Not ever. But don't give up hope now, Naruto. There are people who need you. _I_ need you." She placed one of her hands on her hot, hard belly.

"I want you to be this baby's godfather. If anything should happen to us, we want you to protect it. To give it all it needs. Can you do that for me?" she asked gently, her eyes searching his face intently.

Naruto nodded dumbly, not sure what to feel at ths particular moment.

"I'd be honored."

His eyes widened suddenly when he felt movement beneath his hand.

"It moved!" he whispered in amazement. "Can you feel that?"

She chuckled at his astonishment, and was relieved to see some emotion in him at last.

"Of course. I feel everything that he does."

"He? It's a boy?"

"Yes, it's a little boy. I've known since the first few weeks but lee didn't want to know."

"How can you tell?" he asked curiously, his hand searching for more movement.

"Male and female chakra is different. Didn't you know that?" she asked raising her eyebrows.

"I never really noticed before, but now that you mention it….."

She sighed and shook her head.

"Figures." It was said with affection and not malice.

"How long till you're due?" he asked, ignoring her muttered comment.

"A few weeks. Lee will still be around, so I'm happy."

"I wish I could be there." He sighed wistfully. "I've never seen a newborn baby before. Never held a any baby before really."

"Never?" Sakura asked incredulously.

He shook his head, a corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile.

"As if the villagers would let me near one. They're afraid I would corrupt it or something."

Sakura hugged him wordlessly, awkward over her large stomach.

"You can hold my son. I want you to be the first to hold him."

Naruto held her back and smiled as he savored the feel of warm arms around him. It felt nice to be held by someone for once.

"Thanks," he whispered, closing his eyes.

* * *

So that's it for now! There is much more planned, and I hope there is not too many mistakes in this! If there is anything which is really bugging you about grammar or spelling, let me know and I'll fix it for you! But hopefully, you weren't too aggravated by anything! 

So...REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! They're squealed over, glomped and adored! So please?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed! Until next time, then!


	12. Black Rain Falls

Right, here we are with the next chapter! I'm really annoyed, because I typed this out earlier, but my computer decided to throw a hissy fit on me and I lost the chapter! But I typed it out again, and here it is! Hope you enjoy!

**Thanks to:**

**Choco Baby: **Love you for reviewing! My fwiend! Thanks for everything, and this chapter is dedicated to you (this chapter actually contains a lot of angst, but don't hold it against me! It's the thought that counts right?) Anyways, hope you review again! And here are some cookies for you! (Because we love them so much, right?)

**Kawaiineziumi: **Don't worry, I'll be nice to them! Thanks for your review and I hope you are hopelessly addicted to this fic! Thanks again!

**Firelid: **Ya! A fellow Sasu/Naru fan! Thanks for your encouragements and compliments! And Sasuke definitely will be in it, and he plays such a big role…otherwise it wouldn't be a Sasu/Naru fic! Thanks again! Keep reading! massively glomps firelid

**Disclaimer: ** Naruto in no waybelongs to me. Sad isn't it?

**Warnings:** some rather pathetic attempts at violence, fighting and angst….forgive me…..

_**This chapter is dedicated to Choco Baby! Hope you like it!**_

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Chapter Eleven: Black Rain falls

After Sakura had gone to be, Naruto had wandered out to the balcony. There was no point in trying to sleep, so he watched the stars move slowly across the sky as the hours came and went.

It was now nearing dawn and he felt as if he had been trampled by a herd of cattle. Twice.

He was perched on the railing of the small balcony, and was watching the sky lighten.

Months ago, he'd stood here and told Neji (and unintentionally Shikamaru) about the Akatsuki. He hadn't known things would turn out this way. He felt somehow responsible for everything. He felt it was his fault for the massive loss of life suffered, for the way each country was slowly being torn to shreds by war, and everything that came with it. Like it was his fault that he had a powerful demon sealed within his body.

Logically, it was ridiculous, and not in anyway true. But exhaustion did that to you. Made your mind play tricks on you. Normally, he wouldn't pay any attention to such ludicrous thoughts. But tonight his defences were worn thin, and frayed to breaking point.

What he needed was sleep. That was nothing unusual. But he dreaded sleep. With sleep came those unnatural nightmares, like the first one he had at Gaara's village. Everytime he closed his eyes, he had a similar nightmare. They were never the same, but always similar. Dreams of his betrayal, of his suffering and his misery.

And Sasuke. Sasuke was always there. Always taunting him, always teasing him.

And always touching him.

It was painful. His heart felt like sharp barbed wired had been wound around his heart. Every cruel word ever spoken, every death and every nightmare made the wire tighten and those deadly barbs dug into his flesh more deeply. Years ago, those wounds had begun to drip blood, the cruel barbs infecting his wounds, and ever so slowly, his heart died a little more, became a little more withered and worn.

_He couldn't take much more…._

Naruto shut his eyes against the stinging tears as he remembered his last nightmare. It had been the worst so far…

_He stood alone in the sircle, surrounded by angry villagers. Not only villagers, but shinobi as well. They held weapons, anything they could get their hands on. Staffs, knives, clubs, Kunai, shuriken. Any weapon available._

_He stood alone, stripped naked and bleeding from the countless wounds covering his body. From his eyes ran tears of blood which trickled slowly down his cheeks. _

_A slow murmer built up amoungst the crowd as they began to speak and fling names dripping with hatred and scorn at him. _

_Demon…_

_Filth…_

_Murderer…_

_Traitor…_

_Demon…_

_Demon…_

_Demon…_

_Some even laughed. In the crowd he could see the faces of his precious ones- his friends, his makeshift family. The only people who he loved._

_He began to tremble as the words hit him, and sent a shiver of fear down his spine. _

_Suddenly, he grew angry. White, hot fury flooded his system._

_Why did he have to be the one who suffered?_

_Why did they all laugh and scorn him like he was responsible for all of this?_

_What had he done to deserve this?_

_Why him?_

_He lashed out, and screams of pain and terror filled the empty silence as the demon foxes fiery red chakra ripped through their helpless bodies, tearing them apart and draining the life from their veins, until there was nothing left except a pile of lifeless, mutilated bodies. Silence, reigned supreme once more, and he could feel it penetrate his body down to the bones. After a moment of the almost unbearable silence, the anger and pain drained away and left him staring at the corpses piled before him. _

_Now, his blood wasn't the only blood on his body…_

_He began to feel sick as the enormity of what he had done finally hit him, and he struggled to keep the contents of his stomach._

_What had he done?_

_From behind him came the sound of slow clapping and quiet laughter._

_He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head as cold metal closed around his wrists. The chains pulled at his arms, growing heavier by the moment._

_He jumped when cold arms encircled him from behind and came to rest one his hips._

"_Well done, my love," Sasuke whispered, his lips next to Naruto's ear. "I couldn'thave done it better."_

_Naruto didn't even try to suppress his trembling, nor did he try to break away. The chains held him in place, and there was no escaping Sasuke, he knew. He'd learned this the hard way._

"_Go away," he whispered, but his voice lacked strength and conviction._

_That soft, mocking chuckle sounded in the silence once more._

"_You don't want that. You can't live without this. Without me."cmae the silken whispered._

_That deep voice sent shivers of painful pleasure down his spine. His voice rolled over him in soft waves, lulling him gently into the depths of submission. There was no escaping that voice…_

"_Don't resist. Don't deny this."_

_Cold lips pressed against his neck and began to suck gently. Naruto shivered as the cold began to seep into his body. He kept his eyes closed, and half-heartedly wished it would all go away. He knew there would be no one to save him though. There never was._

_Sasukes's hands roamed slowly over his chest, leaving his skin painfully sensitive and cold. He couldn't resist; his own hand moved of there own accord as they slid over those strong arms to cover his tormentors hands, guiding them slowly over his body. The fell back against the solid wall of his chest as his head fell back. Sasuke's lips found his tender neck, and sharp teeth bit into the soft flesh, drawing blood._

_His chains clinked sharply, reminding him of their presence._

_He would never be free of this._

Naruto opened unseeing eyes as the memory ended. Yes, Sasuke was always there, but he was just another trial he had to endure amoung the many. The only thing he felt now, was tired, worn out, and fragile. He no longer had the energy to fight the dreams, so he let them come and suffered silently throughout them.

If there was one thing that times like these were good for, it was sorting out your priorities. You learnt what was truly important, and what you could live without.

Right now, his sole focus was protecting the village and its people, and this meant protecting himself. Id he was caught by the enemy, then that would be the end of everything. The village and it s people would meet a very unpleasant and bloody end. That was a given.

He heard the door slid open, and knew who it was immediately.

"Naruto," Neji greeted him.

In the predawn glow, Neji looked visible worn.He was paler than usual, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. He was also thinner than he normally was, but despite this, he was still a beautiful man. For some strange reason, there had never been a degree of attraction between them. They weren't particularly alike, and there wasn't the case of opposites attracting either. It was odd really. All that existed between them was a protective love and friendship. It felt warm and safe, and Naruto loved Neji as he would a brother, and he knew that the feelings were returned. But there was no attraction between them.

He turned his mind from these thoughts easily and focused on the man standing next to where he was sitting.

"Why are you up so early?" he asked, taking the cup of hot, fragrant tea with a nod of thanks. Neji gave him a small smile.

"Your bad habits are wearing off on me. I couldn't sleep more than a few hours because I was too busy thinking about everything, and worrying." There was no bite of frustration or anger in these words. They were said with affection, and humor, and Naruto knew better than to be offended by them. He gave Neji a soft smile as the man joined him on the railing.

"You still look tired."

Neji frowned at him and looked him over with critical eyes.

"Then you look a hundred times worse." He retorted. "Did you sleep at all?"

Naruto sighed and shook his head. Every morning Neji asked him the same question, and every morning he got the same answers. He hated Neji worrying about him. It made him ashamed that he put his friend in such a hard position, and although he did all he could to ease his friends concern, he knew it did little good. He swore to himself that one day he'd make it up to Neji, and repay him for all the good he had done for Naruto. It was the least he could do.

Neji was aware of his nightmares. After all, had'd been there for the first one to comfort him. Naruto was always honest with Neji, and he had no reasons to hide anything from his best friend.

"You take too many responsibilities on yourself, Naruto. You're working harder than anyone else is."

Naruto shrugged and turned his eyes to the sunrise once more as he cradled the hot cup of tea on his hands.

"If I'm not on the front lines fighting, then I'll work just as hard behind the lines to make up for it."

"Its not a crime to be working here, Naruto." Neji pointed out. " What you do here is just as important. The intelligence work that you organize saves lives. That information you got on the ambush during the battle in the Hidden Village of Lightning prevented a disaster."

"But I'm not out there doing the work like I should be. We're _Anbu_ Neji, and I'm stuck being babysat like I'm some helpless child, and you're landed with the job of babysitting." Naruto replied heatedly.

Neji didn't reply for a moment and Naruto cursed himself for his stupidity. None of this was Neji's fault, and here he was talking as if it was.

"Neji, I'm sorry. None of this is your fault. I'm just…frustrated, I guess." Naruto appolgised. Running a hand through his tangled blond hair.

Neji offered him a kindly smile.

"I understand how you feel, Naruto. I'd feel exactly the same if I was in your place. What we do is important, and we need to keep doing it. You're being protected because we don't want any harm to come to you. And if I'm the one protecting you, I feel a whole lot better because of it. I can keep a close eye on you this way."

Naruto smile absently back. How much did they care for him? Or were they only protecting the demon?

They were stupid thoughts, because h knew that they really cared, and they were doing all of this because he meant something to them. He didn't deserve them, he knew.

He was not worthy of their love, or their protection.

He slowly got off the railing.

"We'd better report into Tsunade. She'll need us for something." He said quietly.

Neji nodded and disappeared inside to get himself ready.

Naruto turned his eyes to the horizon once more. What horrors would today bring? Would today be the day when they all crumbled under the shadow of the Akatsuki?

It was hard to be optimistic when all you felt was tired.

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Okay, so I know that not a lot didn't happen in this chapter, but originally this chapter and the next was all one chapter but it was wwwaaaayyyyyyy too long. So I broke it up into two. The next chapter will be posted in the next day or two! 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope to hear from you again! (hint, hint!)

I hope you enjoyed it too Choco Baby!

Until next time then!


	13. Confessions

Yosh! Ohayo everyone! Because I have nothing else to do, I decided to do a little work on this story, and I'm glad I did! I'm really getting into this story now, and I want to finish it! Anyway, I feel the need to point out the fact that this story is more about Naruto's problems and the romance. Although the story revolves around fighting, there won't be much of it until the ending chapters. I hope no one minds too much, but my ability to write fight scenes isn't very good, so I plan to ease into it slowly. There will be fight scenes in it, but not big ones for a while yet! Just thought I'd let you know, so you don't get too upset with me! This is a really long chapter by the way! I expect they'll be getting a lot longer from now on!

**Thanks to:**

**Choco Baby: **once again, thanks for the compliments! I hope I'm getting better at the angsty bits, because they give me major stress! Thanks for reviewing again!

**DarkvsLight: **(Althoug technically you weren't reviewing the last chap, I wanted to give you a mention anyways!) Thank you! I'm glad you're addicted because it makes me want to write more! Which means there's more for you to read! Thank you!

**RubyMoon17: **Thanks! I'm glad you think so! Keep reading, it'll get better (I hope ;)

**Momochi Zabuza: **Its coming, trust me! And it'll be as good as you're hoping for, I hope! Don't worry, I resent Sasuke for hurting Naruto too, but despite that, I can't help but like him anyways! Hmmmm…I think there are hints of Neji/Naru, but I won't be developing it any further in this fic! (sorry, I hope you're not too disappointed!) glomps wonderful reviewer Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Di-sama: **Awww….thanks for the compliment, I hope you keep reading, and that it lives up to your expectations! glomps

**Disclaimer:** we all know that, sadly, Naruto doesn't belong to any of us…it really annoys me that I have to keep writing this…its like rubbing salt into a wound! Poor me!

**Warnings: **hummm…shounen ai (although I'm not sure if talking about it actually qualifies as shounen ai) some violence in this chapter, and a smidgen of angsting! Yay!

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Chapter Twelve: _Confessions_

Naruto and Neji were waiting outside Tsunade's office for their audience. The hokage- having the position that she did- was extremely busy organizing the positioning of Konoha nin, signing correspondence with the remaining leaders of the other villages and what not. She was working her but off, in other words.

Naruto and Neji had received her summons earlier that morning whilst they were in the middle of inspecting progress of the evacuation. Tsunade no longer had the time to call meeting to discuss the progress of the evacuation, so she had handed that job to Naruto and Neji.

They were somewhat rumpled looking, and in desperate need of showers and food, but that didn't pull them away from their duties.

Their combat armor was scratched and needed some serious polishing, but was still in working order. Their equipment pouches were restocked in anticipation of missions. Neji had his twin katannas strapped to his back, within easy reach, but Naruto possessed no such weapons. Frankly, he didn't need them. He did, however, sport two ornate silver armlets, worn around his biceps. They were rather beautiful, twisting around his arms three times, and inscribed with small symbols. He wasn't sure what they were for, because no matter how much he had annoyed Tsunade, she wouldn't tell them. He had a sneaking suspicion that they were important, so he continued to wear them at all times, as ordered. At first they had annoyed him because they felt strange around his arms, but gradually he had begun to notice them less and less.

His sleeveless black shirt, worn under his chest plate, exposed the armlets, and showed off his arms, which were muscled from years of training and fighting.. His metal arm guards covered his forearms.

His legs were covered to mid calf by his baggy grey cargo style pants, and his lower legs were protected by carefully wrapped bindings.

Also, at the moment, he still wore his Anbu cloak thrown carelessly over his clothes. This was to help disguise who he was. It prevented people from identifying him easily, and served as a precautionary defense against attack. They were easy to throw off when necessary but they still annoyed Naruto.

His red and white mask was in place, as usual.

The door opened and Shizune beckoned them inside before closing the door behind them.

They bowed respectfully, although Tsunade didn't look up from what she was writing.

"I have a mission for the two of you."

Naruto stared at her in surprise, and he felt Neji shift beside him about to protest. Tsunade continued before he could say anything.

"If I had anyone else to do this, I would have sent them already. Its not very dangerous, and the chances of you fighting aren't very high, seeing as you won't be leave Konoha's borders." This was said with a sharp gaze directed solely at Naruto.

"What are your orders?"

"Gaara is expected to arrive at our borders in a few hours, and I'd like for him to be escorted here. It would reflect badly upon us if he were to be attacked within our borders."

"Gaara? Why?" Naruto asked, surprised.

Surely he was needed in Sunagakure? Why would he be coming here at a time like this? A frown found its way onto Naruto's face as he thought about this.

"He has important information which he thought we should have. He thought it be best if he delivered it himself. You know how he is," Tsunade said pulling a wry face.

Naruto bowed. "We'll leave immediately. I'll get the rest of my team to deliver your orders."

Tsunade looked distinctly unhappy with this, but she knew that Neji would be with him, and he would not budge from his side for anything, no matter how serious. She didn't say anything, so Naruto assumed that she wasn't going to stop him from doing so.

"One other thing. Despite the chances of you actually running into a combat zone, if you should come across one, you are to avoid fighting at all costs. You are still under my protection Naruto, and my jurisdiction." She said sternly. Honey colored eyes locked with his own blue one. Naruto wasn't sure what he was seeing in her eyes; they were darker than usual, and looked thoughtful and concerned at the same time.

He turned and headed for the door, Neji falling into step right behind him.

"As if you'd ever let me forget, Baa-chan," he replied as he left, smiling slightly when he heard he chuckle follow him.

Naruto glanced at Neji as they walked down the hall.

"What?" Neji asked, not needing to look at him to know that Naruto was watching him.

"So…." He began conversationally. He grinned inwardly when he caught Neji looking at him suspiciously. Naruto was not known for starting casual conversations these days, and when he did, Neji always began to suspect something.

"Yes?" Neji asked him cautiously.

"We're going to meet Gaara."

"And?" Neji was decidedly guarded now with his eyes narrowed as they watched Naruto even closer.

"You and him…"

"If you want to say something, just say it." Neji told him bluntly. Naruto grinned behind his mask.

"You're together, ne?"

"In what sense?"

"As in, 'romantically involved'?"

Neji jumped in surprise, and Naruto had to stifle his laughter. This was turning out to be more enjoyable than he'd thought (or even planned) it would be.

"I wouldn't put it that way, no." Neji said hesitantly.

Naruto had a sneaking suspicion that Neji was blushing behind the cover of his mask, but he had no way to confirm it.

"But there's definitely something there?"

He could feel the tension rolling of Neji in waves, and he could see it in the way the man was walking, as if he was unsure of where this conversation was going. It wasn't often that Naruto got a chance to catch his friend off guard because the man was practically unshakable and prepared for almost any situation. This apparently, was not something he was prepared for.

"On my part?"

Naruto nodded in answer to this question, but did not say anything else, not wanting to discourage Neji from answering truthfully.

"H-hai, I think so." Was the halting answer. "But I don't know how he feels about me. We've only really met a few times."

Naruto chewed on his lower lip as he thought about Neji's answer. It was definitely an interesting situation. For him at least.

" I don't even know him." Neji said quietly, his eyes on the floor.

Naruto looked at the man's form, his distress very evident in his body. If this wasn't love, then it was definitely something close to it. He had seen Neji's eyes when he'd looked at Gaara before, and the emotions he had seen there had been strong; probably stronger than anything he'd seen Neji feel before. Not only did he sympathize with his friends predicament, he genuinely wanted to help him. Some nagging little voice at the back of his mind was telling him that they were perfect for one another. They went together like paper and glue, he realized as he thought about it. His mind made up, he reached out and pulled Neji to a halt, facing him head on. Neji straightened in confusion and waited to hear what he had to say.

"Let me tell you something about Gaara."

Something in his voice caught Neji's attention and he suddenly found himself the victim of that sharp, scrutinizing attention. Naruto thought for a moment, wondering how he was going to put this in a way that wouldn't make things more confusing for his friend.

"Gaara…has led a life similar to mine. He's been alone like me and he's been feared and hated, and he's suffered for it. He knows pain and loneliness better than anyone, I think. He's known no love until the last few years, so I'm guessing that whatever you're feeling is confusing him as much as it is you."

Naruto paused for a moment to let this sink in, then continued.

"If you want him to know you're feelings, you'll have to _show _him that you're interested, in who he is and not what he carries within him or what he represents."

Neji's gaze was still trained on him, but he was absently rolling the hem of his sleeve; it was a habit of his. Neji always fiddled with things when he was thinking about something. Naruto sometimes wondered if he realized that he was doing it. It could be damned annoying when the man was worrying about something.

"Don't betray him. If you tell him you're going to do something, then you keep your word. Someone…dear to him betrayed him once, and he didn't handle it too well."

'_It only sent him off into the deep end, and set him on a blood thirsty killing spree which lasted for years,' _Naruto thought dryly, but he wisely decided to keep this to himself. Neji knew some of the details about Gaara's personal history, but he wasn't sure if he knew about that particular aspect of it, and he was also unsure if Gaara wanted him to know. He decided to let them sort that out when it arose.

"I'll always stick by me promises Naruto. You knew that." Naji said sharply.

"I know it. Just don't make promises that you can't keep. You will have to gain his trust and respect. Trust me; he doesn't give them easily, or lightly."

Neji seemed to contemplate this for a moment. He surprised Naruto by bowing formally to him.

"I'll remember. I know that he is a friends of your, and I'll do the right thing by him."

Naruto took a moment to recover from his surprise, but then smiled behind his mask and put a hand on Neji's shoulder. Neji relaxed slightly beneath his hand. After a moent, he pulled off his mask and gestured for Neji to do the same. It was easier for Naruto to read him if he could see his eyes.

"Neji… I can feel that you're concerned about something else too."

Neji looked away this time, and Naruto could feel his shoulders tense one more. It was almost as if he was...angry?

"I feel so selfish." This was said as a hash, bitter whisper, but Naruto could hear him clearly, as if he'd screamed it instead of whispered it.

"Here I am, worrying about love and attraction when a war is happening. People are dying and all I can think about is myself."

Naruto froze when he heard those words. This was exactly what he had been feeling, but he knew that it didn't apply in any way to Neji.

He had been feeling this about Sasuke for months now. His throat tightened, as did his grip on Neji's shoulder. Neji seemed to be regretting what he had just said, but he merely watched Naruto closely, waiting for his reaction.

"Don't take such things for granted." He said quietly after a few moments of tense silence. "You deserve it more than anyone. You work your hardest every day, doing everything you can to help stop this war and protect this village. Love does not come along very often, and it doesn't come to many. You deserve to be happy."

Neji's eyes were on his face, but Naruto had looked away for the moment.

_Love was a wonderful thing, but sometimes it was just too hard, and too painful. _

He knew this very well. Everything had a good side, and a bad. Naruto felt like he only knew the bad side of love. It made you choke up inside, and wonder where things went so wrong. He wondered what it would be like to be on the other side of love- on the good side. Love was always accompanied by confusion, suffering and pain. What else come with it?

He wondered if he would ever know.

Cool fingers grasped his chin and forced him to meet pale eyes.

"If I could change things for you, you know that I would. I'd do anything to free you from your pain, Naruto. To see you happy again and to see you smile once more."

"I do smile, Neji." He protested weakly.

Neji's eyes were soft and gentle, kind and sad.

"They're not real smiles. I can always see your sadness. Just once more, I'd like to see a real smile from you."

Naruto struggled to find a suitable answer, and he opened his mouth to say something, _anything_. It seemed that Neji wasn't expecting an answer from him, for he chose to release him.

"Come on, Naruto. We have a mission to do." He said gently, saving him from answering.

Swallowing his depressing, and pushing away his painful thoughts and bewilderment, Naruto followed Neji out into the bright sunlight.

Hardly a leaf rustles as Naruto and Neji moved swiftly and silently through the foliage. The midday sun was dappled through the leaves, and provided them with some relief from its warmth. It was and hour past midday, and they seemed to be the only things moving.

They did not stop to rest, and they did not divert from their designated path. It was best not to linger, in case of an unexpected attack. They would be harder to locate if they were moving at such speeds. Naruto knew that Tsunade had taken a risk when she had sent Naruto out, but it was an easy mission, and it would be completed quickly and quietly.

He could sense that Neji was alert and tense beside as if he expected an attack at any moment.

They were nearing the border of the fire country, and they gradually began to slow down. His earlier bout of depression had been banished as soon as he had begun to focus on his mission.

Simultaneously they came to an abrupt halt on a large branch. It was time to gather their bearings and locate Gaara.

Neji landed in a crouch, and Naruto straightened, as he closed his eyes and concentrated his chakra on the environment surrounding them. There was no one nearby. They would have to wait.

He seated himself and relaxed against the tree trunk, but kept him senses on alert. He could feel Neji's restlessness as he shifted around. He was not happy being out here and Naruto knew why.

He closed his eyes behind his mask, and turned his mind to the jittery feeling in his gut. It had been building for a while now, and it was telling him that something wasn't right. He sighed inwardly. Feeling like this made him irritable and nervous, and the worst part was that he was unsure _why_ he felt this way. It was damn frustrating, but there was little he could do to make the strange feeling go away. He needed to figure out what was making him feel so unsettled and why. That was all there was to it.

He knew the war was going badly, it would get a lot worse before it got better. Every day, the allied side lost more and more ground to the enemy. More people were lost, and more villages were annihilated. Yet… no one had come.

It didn't make any sense. The most logical way of winning the war was to gather all the demon containers and use their harnessed powers to win quickly and cleanly. But no one had come, for him or for Gaara.

Perhaps they didn't want to win quickly, perhaps they liked to make their opponents stew in their own fear and paranoia before swooping in for a bloody and violent end. So far it was the only logical explanation that he could come up with, but he knew that it wasn't the reason.

"Naruto," Neji whispered, catching his attention. "Do you feel that?"

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he reached out with his chakra in the direction that Neji was staring.

Five chakra signatures. One was familiar. Gaara.

"Who are the others?"

"Enemies," Neji replied quickly, activating his byukagen.

Naruto stood up. Neji seemed to guess what he was thinking and frowned.

"They're outside our borders Naruto." Neji pointed out immediately. "We were given strict orders not to stray from our land, or to fight."

"We have no choice. We were also ordered to make sure that Gaara reaches Konoha unharmed. He needs our help." Naruto replied as he took off in the direction of the battle. He heard Neji follow him. However unhappy his decisions made Neji, he would always follow, even if it meant disobeying orders.

They sped towards the signatures. The sounds of battle reached them before any thing else. The sound of metal on metal, harsh breathing, and the soft whooshing sound of chakra.

Neji drew his Katannas as they reached the battle ground.

Naruto took a moment to assess the situation. Gaara currently had one held immobile in his sand, and was watching the other three cautiously. They were circling him slowly, taking in the sight of their struggling comrade and trying to decide how to take him down as quickly as possible. Naruto knew that Gaara could probably handle the situation alone. After all, none of the enemy nin were particularly strong, but Naruto didn't want to take any chances. Especially not with any shinobi associated with the Akatsuki. They had a nasty habit of surprising you when you least expected it.

All of a sudden, the three nin sped towards Gaara. Neji quickly intercepted the one closest to the red head, and Naruto cut off the other two, placing himself between Gaara and the enemy.

Within him, he could feel the Kyuubi stirring at the scent of battle. Now, he could smell the metallic scent of blood, and identified it as Gaara's.

_So he was wounded. That was unusual._

But he had no time to think about it as one of the nin began to sink slowly into the ground.

_Earth jutsu._

Naruto leapt towards the other, blocking the kunai whizzing towards his face and retaliated with several of his own.

His opponent back flipped as he closed in and Naruto followed, blocking well-timed taijutsu moves easily. After a few minutes of rigorous sparring, Naruto began to tire of the useless and _slow _movements.

He ended it quickly and cleanly with a kunai through the heart.

"Naruto behind!" came Neji's warning call.

On instinct, he launched himself into the air as the ground exploded behind him.

"I knew he was there Neji," he muttered, annoyed.

He performed a few quick hand seals and landed. Vines shot out of the ground and wound themselves tightly around the struggling nins body. He wouldn't be going anywhere.

Cursing and struggling, the nin fell to the ground.

With that taken care of, Naruto turned to where Neji was knelt beside Gaara, He watched as his comrade helped the injured sand nin to sit down against a tree trunk as he clutched a bloody hand to his side.

Neji was uninjured and looked as if he had hardly broken a sweat. The battleground was splattered with the remains of the nin that Gaara had faced. Neji's opponent was crumpled in a heap at the edge of the clearing.

_There was a lot of blood…_

Naruto turned away from the grizzly sight as he recalled his most recent dream. Normally, such a sight wouldn't trouble him, but on top of his realistic nightmares, it was enough to make his feel slightly queasy

"What happened, Garra?" he asked as he joined them.

Gaara looked up at his with tired eyes. Neji was putting a field dressing on Gaara,s wound, but Naruto knew that he was listening closely.

"I was originally being escorted by a team." Gaara informed them. "They were all killed a few days ago. These guys surprised me."

"Perhaps they were sent to capture you?" Neji suggested not looking up from his work.

"Not likely." Naruto replied. "They wouldn't send anyone so…weak."

Gaara was watching him, his green eyes narrowed in thought. Naruto felt as if those eyes were boring into him and stripping away all his defenses. He couldn't face those eyes at the moment. They held understanding and he didn't want to see that at the moment. He turned his back and looked once more at the nin who was still bound by his jutsu.

"Neji."

He heard Neji straighten and face him.

"I want you to take Gaara and head back to Konoha."

"Demo…"

"Now, Neji." He said flatly. "I'll clean up here."

There was a slightly pause, but Neji knew better than to argue at the moment.

"Hai, Captain."

He watched over his shoulder as Neji helped Gaara stand and pulled the smaller man's arm over his shoulders. With one last look at Naruto, he took off, disappearing into the trees.

Naruto turned back to his captive, who's eyes widened in fear. He knew what was coming.

It was late afternoon by the time that he arrived back at Konoha, and dark was falling when he located Tsunade at the hospital. He strode alone the corridors of the busy hospital with blood soaking his robes. It was splattered on his mask and it stained his hands red.

He found Neji on the fourth floor, sitting alone on a chair. He stood when he saw Naruto approaching. Pale eyes took in his appearance.

"Tsunade's with him now," he said quietly, answering Naruto's unspoken question. "She's not happy Naruto."

"I'm not surprised. Any problems on the way back?"

"Nothing," Neji replied with a shake of his head. "Yourself?"

"no."

Neji's eyes ran over him once more, lingering on the blood. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when the door opened.

Naruto turned to face her and removed his mask before bowing.

"Naruto." Was all she said.

A resounding slap echoed around the corridor as Tsunade backhanded him across the face. Naruto staggered backwards, but straightened after a moment and turned his face back towards her, now sporting a red cheek.

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders…"

"I did what was necessary…"

"You know the danger, Naruto…"

"There was none…"

"This time. But next time…"

"Will be different, and I will do whatever's necessary to complete my mission successfully." He cut her off.

This wasn't an exchange between a superior and a subordinate, it was much more, and Naruto knew it wasn't over yet.

Tsunade's eyes never left his face.

"You will be punished later. Come on. Gaara wishes to talk and I want you there." She turned back toward the room and Naruto followed.

"Dismissed Neji." He said over his shoulder before he closed the door.

Gaara was propped up by pillows on the hospital bed, and he had his usual blank look on his face once more. Tsunade seated herself beside the bed and Naruto stood behind her.

"Okay Gaara. Keep it brief for now. You need to rest."

Naruto watched Gaara's eyebrow twitch slightly, but he did not argue with the hokage.

"The Akatsuki are going to make their move on Konoha any day now. They're already within our borders, it won't be long until they're in yours."

There was a stunned silence as both Naruto and Tsunade tried to fully grasp what Gaara was saying.

"What made you come to this conclusion?" Tsunade asked, strangely calm.

"Sunagakure and Konohagakure are the only villages that are still intact and fighting. It is only a matter of days before the other villages are defeated. They're ready to make their final move."

Tsunade nodded.

"That's what I've been thinking too. They want you and Naruto now, and the only thing stopping them from getting you is the two villagers. You two are the only thing they really need."

"They left us until last because they knew how difficult it would be. We're too well guarded." Naruto murmured.

"And because they know you'd be the hardest to capture." Tsunade added.

"Orochimaru's forces are not faring well either." Gaara told Tsunade.

Naruto froze in shock.

"What? What's Orochimaru got to do with this?" he demanded.

"Orochimaru has been fighting the Akatsuki for awhile now." Tsunade said quietly, turning to him. "I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd rush off and do something…rash."

That made perfect sense, but he couldn't help but feel mad at her. How could she not tell him something like that? It stung too, to think that she didn't trust him. He did have commonsense, and he still doubted that people believed he had it. Now it seemed that was true.

Naruto stayed quiet for a few moments. Maybe this meant that…Sasuke…Sasuke is…dead?

Fear clenched his heart painfully.

_Why do I still care? I shouldn't…he betrayed the village…he betrayed me. Why do I care?_

He straightened when he felt Gaara and Tsunade looking at him and waiting for his reaction to her words.

"I wouldn't do such a thing, Tsunade." He said, maintaining his façade of calm.

Inside though, he was a rolling sea of fear, anger and confusion.

"I have duties and responsibilities. I would never desert them."

Tsunade nodded but still looked doubtful and weary. She let it drop though, and turned back to Gaara again.

"Arigato Gaara-sama." She said to him. "Feel free to rest here until you feel fit enough to return to your village."

"I won't be going home for awhile." Gaara said.

Naruto blinked._ Had something happened to him at home?_

He hoped not. Gaara had suffered enough. He had fought hard to earn a place there, and it would be upsetting if they had uprooted him for some imagined crime.

"If it's okay, I think it would be best if I stayed here with Naruto. We can protect each other better this way. My village is under threat now. The Kazekage and the councilors all agreed that it would be best if I was somewhere safer for the time being."

"But it will be easier for them if you're both in the same place" Tsunade pointed out.

"We'll be stronger together. It'll also be harder for them to fight us, if we're fighting together, won't it?" Naruto asked.

He had mixed feelings on the issue, despite his words. Having Gaara near would make him feel safer and stronger, not to mention the fact that it would be easier to watch Gaara and Neji together. But Gaara knew too much about Naruto. It was as if the redhead knew everything he felt and thought, as if he knew all of his deepest, darkest secrets, and it unsettled him. It made things rather uncomfortable on his behalf.

"That's true." Tsunade straightened. "You're welcome to stay of course. We'd appreciate your help."

Gaara nodded, and his eyes flicker towards Naruto for a moment, who was very pointedly looking away and avoiding those green eyes at all cost.

"Tsunade." He looked straight at Tsunade instead.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"I have a request?"

"What is it?"

"I want my ream to be reassigned. Other teams are desperately needed replacement members. My team is doing nothing. I request permission to reassign them."

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"We've been over this before Naruto…"

"I know, Tsunade. I know you want me to be protected. I have Neji with me, and he's one of the strongest we have." Naruto continued. "And I assume you're planning on having Gaara with me also. They're more than enough. Besides, I'm able to protect myself. I've been training for something like this for the last seven years."

She looked at him with sad, pitying eyes.

"That's not what I'm worried about Naruto."

"What is it then?" he asked, frustration clear in his voice.

"I'm afraid…that when you have to defend yourself against them, that you won't. That you'll just not fight anymore." She said quietly. "That's what I'm afraid of."

There was nothing he could say to answer her. He looked away. If he was younger, he would have thought that she really cared about the Kyuubi and not him. But he knew better. He knew that she cared for him. She thought of him as a little brother, and she didn't need to tell him that constantly for him to know it. He could see it in her eyes when she looked at him.

The truth was, he could not make any promises to her. There was no way he could make that kind of guarantee to her, because he didn't know what would happen between now and then. There was no predicting anything.

"Neji and Gaara will be with me." Naruto repeated as he met her eyes once again. "They're all I need."

She studied him for a moment. The sadness and worry still had not left her face, and he hated seeing it there.

"Please Tsunade. This is for the good of other. It will relieve some of the pressure." He reasoned.

"Fine. I'll have the papers drawn up. Gaara-sama. Is this okay with you?"

"Hai," was they quiet reply from the bed.

"That's sorted then."

She became quiet and her eyes became distant, indicating that she was thinking about something.

"What's the plan? He asked, letting her think for a moment.

"I'm calling another meeting. We're evacuating Konoha."

* * *

Phew! This took me all afternoon, and part of the evening to type, mainly because i had to change a few things and do a lot of editing! But anyways, i'm pretty satisfied with this chapter! I thought the fight scene was okay, seeing as it was the first one I've ever written, but don't hold it against me, 'kay? 

So..please, review and tell me if it was okay or not!

Thanks for reading! I should have the next update posted in the next few days!


	14. Face to Face I

Gaahhhhh! Yay! Another chapter! I've been so lazy lately, I just couldn't be bothered to sit here and type these damned chapters up! But alas, boredom finally struck and heaved me off my lazy ass! So anyway, here is chapter thirteen! I'm really enjoying writing this! I actually handwrite them all out first (I dunno what everyone else does) and I've gotten at least fifteen chapters actually written up, ready to be typed. Its just a matter of actually doing it….

**Thanks to:**

**Choco Baby: **(again!) the first reviewer for the last chapter! Awww, sankyu! I love you so much! Thanks again for your wonderful reviews and encouragement!

**Ruby Moon 17: **thank you! I like to think that I'm improving slightly, its nice to know that you think I have! Arigato!

**DarkvsLight: **snickers yes, yes, I have plans for Neji/Gaara…well not really, but I thought it sounded cool. Moving on, yes, that was my first fight scene, and I'm rather okay with it I think. Now for the next ones… bites nails mwah, I hope the romance is getting better. It is one of the main themes in the plot after all. You know, I love the way you're bugging me to update my other stories, because it actually works. I will be updating possession hopefully today, but not dawn til dusk. I've hit a pothole I'm afraid. Oh well, hopefully inspiration will strike soon. But enjoy this chapter!

**Momochi Zabuza: **Neji/Gaara is one of the main side pairings (if that makes sense? chuckles) sigh, another compliment on the fight scene! You're too kind! And YAY! Sasu/Naru is rapidly approaching…oh wait! Oh my gosh! I just realised that I've reached the part where Sasuke comes into it! ITS THIS CHAPTER! (Mentally killing myself now, because I feel so dumb!) But yeah…enjoy! glomps loving reviewer

**AN: ** I Realise that in this chapter, many people may not like what I'm about to do. Please, (if you're a loyal reviewer) keep reading! It's not all bad! And if anyone is going to flame me for this, go ahead. But I did warn that this is an angsty fic, and keep in mind that Its FICTION and yea….so don't be too hysterical when you read this! Love Ya's!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters don't belong to me! Its not fair….Oh, and the lyrics uses for this are On the turning away by pink flyod...yes i admit it, i am a fan of pink flyod! I'm not ashamed to admit it!

**Warnings: **Major angst. Not much else for this. Soz!

So here we go! Enjoy! Or don't…your choice! KEEP AN OPEN MIND!

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: _Face to Face: I_

_On the turning away_

_From the pale and downtrodden_

_And the words they say_

_Which we don't understand_

"_Don't accept that what's happening_

_Is just a case of others suffering_

_Or you'll find that you've joined in_

_The turning away."_

Naruto stood behind Tsunade with the village leaders. Evening was falling but the surrounding area was brightly lit, the golden glow lighting up the faces of the confused villagers and the tense shinobi gathered before them. It was unusual for Tsunade to call meeting at this time. Normally, everyone would be settling down for the night, children being fed and put down to sleep, adults relaxing together to relieve the stress of a herd day. But tonight it was different.

The crowd was large. Almost every adult had turned up. All of the genins were definitely there; there was no way they'd miss something like this. There were faces missing of course- those on the defensive lines and out fighting with the other villagers obviously couldn't attend. So the numbers of Shin obi present were drastically low. Of course, there were those who had been injured, or passed away too…

Tsunade was looking over the gathered crowd, her golden eyes narrowed.

"Is this is?" She asked him quietly.

"Hai. This is everyone. The only one' who aren't here are the ones currently on mission, and those who are caring for the young." He replied, bending slightly so he could speak quietly in her ear.

"Good. Let's get started then"

Naruto moved away, back behind the village elders, to a place where he couldn't easily be seen. He glanced to the groups of Anbu gathered to one side. He could see Neji's pale mask amongst them. Gaara would be there too. Tsunade had reluctantly released him from hospital. Gaara wasn't one to sit idle for long, so Naruto had given Neji strict orders to watch him closely.

"People of Konoha. Today we have received grave news." She began.

Gradually all the talking, and every eye was trained on the woman standing on the small, elevated platform.

"The other villages have fallen. The village of Sand is our only remaining ally capable of fighting. The enemy has currently surrounded Sunagakure."

Tsunades' voice was drowned out by the wave of murmuring that started up. Fear and worry was written for everyone to see on the faces of the villagers. The shin obi merely look grave. They knew what this meant.

"In a few days, they will be at Konoha's borders." Tsunade projected her voice over the panicked talking, effectively regaining everyone's attention.

"I have no choice but to evacuate Konoha. We can prevent a lot of unnecessary loss of life if we evacuate now."

"What are you going to do?" a voice called out. Several other voiced joined in, calling out question. Tsunade gestured for silence.

"The villagers will be taken to the caves behind the Hokage monument. There is enough food and water to survive there for several months, if necessary. Adults and children will be kept together in family groups as much as possible. You will all be split into several groups, and you will be under the protection of the genin, and you will be lead by chuunin."

"Genins! Why not some stronger shinobi! They're too weak!" An angry voice yelled out.

Naruto watched in amusement as the genins shifted and muttered amongst themselves indignantly. Once, he would have been shouting outraged at the person who had said that.

"Because they are only a precautionary measure. The rest of the nin will be out here fighting. They will not get past our walls." Tsunade said, a fearsome glint in her eyes.

Everyone shifted when they saw the determination on her face, and some even looked reassured at this show of will.

"It is only to keep them and you safe. Now, no personal belongings will be allowed. Only take necessities. The chuunin will tell you what is allowed and what isn't.."

Naruto switched off at this point

So this is what it had come down to. The final battle. It would be the hardest fight they'd ever been in, a fight against extinction. Many would be lost, and the possibility of victory was slim, but they would fight anyway. There was nothing else they could do.

Naruto closed his eyes behind his mask, grateful for its protection and the way it hid him from the world.

_If they saw him, they would only sneer. _

They blamed him for all this anyway. He couldn't face their accusing eyes. They were too familiar, like the ones in his dreams. He clenched his fists to stop them from trembling, and desperately sought something within the depths of his mind to draw strength from.

_I won't survive this otherwise._

Konoha was his home. The place he'd grown up in, the place he'd hated and despised, loved and protected. The place he always returned to. He had people who he cared for here, and he had memories.

Oh yes, he had memories. Memories from his childhood.

_He could remember being alone and crying…_

From the days when he felt hope and life sing through his body.

_He could remember seeing a young dark haired boy sitting alone on a peer, and realizing that maybe he wasn't as alone as he'd thought._

He remembered the academy.

_Iruka lecturing them, and screaming after them as four young boys escaped out the window._

He also remembered Iruka and Mizuki in the forest the day his life had changed forever.

_Graduating. Iruka buying him ramen. Team Seven._

The stupid, boring missions, which had once been annoying and dull, but now seemed full of innocence and energy.

_The Chuunin Exams and Neji. The rookie nine_

_Haku and Zabuza. Orochimaru and Kimimaru._

_Gaara._

The laughter and the light. The indecision and doubts. Betrayal. Pain. Loneliness.

Looking back now, he realized that his life had been full. He'd experienced so many different emotions, and he had learned so much. It didn't all seem as pointless and he had been thinking it was.

Now it was all going to be lost. They were coming to destroy his home, and take away everything he had known and cherished. His eyes caught a flash of pink hair in the crowd.

_Sakura…_

What kind of world would her son be born into? A world of war, and misery. It was no world to raise a child in. Naruto could feel his body tremble with suppressed emotion. Doubt took hold of him. Would he be able to help prevent this disaster? Would he be able to make things right again?

It all seemed so impossible, so out of control. Everything was spinning too fast. So fast it was impossible for him to make sense of anything. What would happen if they all died? What would become of him, and everyone he loved? How would he say goodbye when the time came? No words could express the love he felt for his friends. They had all fought beside him, and believed in them like he had them.

A hand clamped around his shoulder, making him jump. The hand tightened.

"Come with me. Tsunades' almost finished now."

The hand guided a dazed Naruto off the platform and into the shadows around the corner, before pushing down Naruto's hood and taking off his mask.

"I like it better when I can see your face." Iruka smiled at him.

It was a smile of sadness and worry.

"How are you holding up?"

Naruto leant back against the cold wall and let out a long breath.

"Not sure really. I'm still trying make sense of all this, I guess."

"Its hard to believe its all happening isn't it?" Iruka asked sympathetically.

Of course. Iruka had faced something like this before, back when he'd lost his parents to the kyuubi. He'd forgotten, and was presently kicking himself for doing so. Guilt and sorrow twisted his gut, and he managed a small smile.

Iruka seemed to have read his thoughts, and his hand gripped Naruto's shoulder again.

"It wasn't your fault and it's stupid to think that way. I never blamed you, you know."

Naruto shook his head.

"I'm glad, Iruka senseii."

"None of this is your fault, either. There is no was anything you could have done caused this disaster."

"Yeah. I guess." He whispered. "Iruka-senseii?"

"Hai?"

"I wanted to tell you…I've always thought of you as my family. I wanted…I just wanted you to know that."

Strong arms pulled him into a tight embrace. Naruto sunk into the familiar heat and smell, closing his eyes. This was the person who'd acknowledged him first, who had accepted him as a person and not a filthy demon kid. This was the person who'd always tried to protect him and guide him.

"I know Naruto. I've always known."

After a few long, silent minutes, they stepped back from one another.

"Have you heard anything from Kakashi yet?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

Iruka shook his head, and looked away, but Naruto could see the pain and loneliness in his eyes.

"No, nothing." His teacher replied in a slightly hoarse voice. "I'm beginning to think that maybe…..maybe he's already gone. If he was alive, I think he would've tried to contact me by now."

Naruto felt terrible. Iruka was suffering before his eyes and there was nothing he could do to relieve his pain.

"Iruka. Gomen nasi. I didn't mean to…"

Iruka wiped the tears that had begun to gather away, and managed to smile weakly at Naruto.

"Now's not the time for mourning Naruto." Iruka took another few minutes to compose himself.

"Iruka, you love him don't you?"

"I don't think I'll ever love another." Iruka said, with a quiet certainty that made Naruto's heart ache painfully. Iruka would be all alone again, when he'd found someone he could share his life with.

Iruka and Naruto straightened when they felt two people approach. Iruka quickly wiped the rest of the tears from his eyes as Neji and Gaara appeared before them.

Neji bowed slightly. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but Tsunade wants you Naruto."

"Why?" he asked a little irritably.

"She's heading for the gates. There's been a commotion over there, and the guards sent an urgent message for Tsunade."

Naruto straightened. They could not be here already! It was too quick, too soon..

He pulled up his hood and pulled his mask into place.

"Gomen, Iruka. I'll see you later."

"Iruka looked worried, but managed to hide it well. "Be careful, Naruto. You too, Neji."

He nodded quickly, before taking off, and racing over the roof tops with Neji and Gaara close behind. They caught up with Tsunade as her group neared the gates. He moved up alongside her.

"Hokage-sama."

"Captain. A nin approached the gates a few minutes ago, and willingly surrendered to the guards on duty."

"Do we know who it is?"

"Kabuto."

Naruto almost fell when he heard that word from her mouth. _Kabuto?_

"From the sound?" he asked incredulously.

"How many Kabuto's do you know!" Tsunade snapped, her concern getting the better of her.

He only knew of one, and it was his master who had taken Sasuke away from him. This was…impossible. It couldn't be happening. Not now. What did this mean anyway?

"Don't jump to conclusions just yet, Naruto," Neji murmured for his ears only. "It may not be what you're thinking it is."

Naruto nodded tightly and tried to calm down and relax. His breath scraped harshly from his throat, and his fists had involuntarily clenched. The gates loomed before them, dark, shadowed objects in the night.

Tsunade's group of escort Anbu and Jounin, and Naruto's small group landed, and walked towards the gate.

"Where is he?" Tsunade demanded harshly.

"Over there, Hokage-sama," a relieved looking guard pointed.

And sure enough, there was Kabuto with his hands tied in front of him and standing between two other guards.

He had not changed a bit, Naruto realized. His white hair shone in the moonlight, and his glasses glinted as the light from the torches hit them. Kabuto bowed as they approached him. Naruto stayed right beside Tsunade, expecting an attack at anytime, and ready to leap to her defense.

"Greetings, Tsunade-sama."

"What are you doing here, Kabuto? Don't tell me you've had a change of heart and wish to turn yourself in?"

"Not quite, Tsunade-sama. I came with an offer of peace." Kabuto replied with a slight smile.

Tsunade (and practically everyone else there) did a massive double take, and froze in disbelief.

"A what now?" Tsunade asked, speaking the thought that everyone had on their minds.

"A temporary truce and an offer of aid, Tsuande-sama."

Anger sprang into existence inside of Naruto's belly. Peace? With orochimaru? It had to be a trap. There was no way in hell that snake bastard would turn to them for help, let alone offer peace with the country he had vowed to destroy.

"From Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, dubiously.

It seemed he wasn't the only one struggling to believe what was being said.

"Hai. Orochimaru's army is currently in the woods surrounding Konoha."

Everyone immediately tenses and weapons sprang into hands. Naruto heard faint curses from the members of the group and sighed.

"He wishes to discuss a few matters with you. Will you allow it?"

Tsunade was silent for a few moments, and everyone waited with baited breath for her response.

"I will allow it." She said eventually. "But no tricks and no traps. I have an army of my own massed behind these walls, and we're prepared to fight you."

Kabuto smiled that annoying smile that said 'I-know-something-that-you-don't-and-i-won't-tell-you. Naruto was resisting the urge to pound him and that irritating smile into the ground. He probably would have too, if it weren't for the fact that Tsuande was right next to him. She would probably do the same to him if he acted upon his impulses, only ten times worse.

"Arigato, Tsunade-sama. No tricks, I promise."

Tsunade nodded and gestured to one of the chuunin on duty.

"Untie him."

He chuunin hesitated, obviously torn in him loyalties, but quickly relented when he saw Tsunade glare. Tsunade was not one to be trifled with lightly, and everyone knew it too.

The bindings fell from Kabuto's hands, and Naruto struggled, knowing that letting one of his most hated enemies go was probably one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made. There was nothing he could do except watch the man disappear in a cloud of chakra smoke. Once he was gone, Naruto immediately turned to Tsunade.

"Tsuande. Are you sure this is wise?"

"No. But I'm curious as to why they're here, of all places. With an army no less."

"Normally when someone brings an army into another persons territory, it means they're going to invade." Naruto muttered.

Tsunade shot him a hot glare.

"I know that Naruto." She turned to face him fully now, and Naruto straightened under the full force of that golden glare.

"You are to keep control of yourself. By all rights I should send you away now, considering you history with these people."

Naruto stiffened. Despite his animosity and pain, he could not miss what was about to happen. There was too much at stake this time, and he would hate himself forever if he wasn't there to protect Tsunade should something happen.

"But I won't." he relaxed when she said this. "But do _not,_ and I mean this, move from my side unless I tell you to. This is an order, Naruto, and if you disobey me, I will see to it that you are stripped of your rank and demoted to genin forever,"

Her voice and her eyes were telling him that she meant every word she was saying, and he bowed respectfully.

"I understand, Hokage-sama, and I will not betray you trust in me."

"Good." Her eyes softened. "I know this will be hard for you, but try to keep it together, ne?"

"Hai." He whispered, his eyes still lowered.

"Hokage-sama." A jounin nearby muttered nervously.

They turned to face the darkness. They were stood slightly outside the gates now, in order to keep any would be attackers from passing through them. Dark shapes approached them swiftly and silently, and began to form a large group before there. There were dozens and dozens of them. Too many for their small group to fend off should they attack.

Naruto felt his senses kick in. Kyuubi sharpened his eyesight and hearing as he unconsciously began to evaluate then enemy, his body tensed for attack. His body was on alert, prepared for battle, but his stance remained casual as he stood next to Tsuande at the front of the group.

The Jounin and chuunin around them fanned out so they were effectively blocking the opened gates.

"My, my," a dry laugh rang out in the tense silence. "What a warm welcome."

The sound nin silently parted to let their leader through. Orochimaru.

At his side was the source of all Naruto's problems. The world seemed to stand still as he gazed upon his face. His throat tightened, and his breath caught painfully in his throat as he stared at Sasuke.

He was…just as he'd appeared in his nightmares. Painfully beautiful. Taller than Naruto, with long legs, slim waist and hips and a broad torso. That smooth pale skin seemed to absorb the pale moonlight and radiated out of his every pore, illuminating his beauty further. Those thin lips were perfectly sculpted, and those cold black eyes remained blank and emotionless. Naruto felt he could drown in those bottomless eyes, like he could get lost in them and never emerge again His silky hair was longer now, and moved gently in the slight breeze framing that haunting face delicately. Sasuke was, by far, the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

Sasuke was dressed in black pants, with a tight tank top underneath a short sleeved, form-fitting fishnet top.

Naruto's heart felt like it was pounding a hole in his chest.

_Sasuke…_

He could feel himself start to trembled as those black eyes ran over Tsunade's group. There were dozens of people there, but Sasuke was the only one he saw. Upon seeing that beautiful face, he could feel his pain and love return in full force. He would have fallen to his knees but he couldn't seem to move a muscle. He would have cried, but he was too shocked, despite having a few minutes to ready himself for this moment. He would have screamed aloud, howled his name, but his throat was blocked by a painful lump of cold misery.

Yes, he felt he was going to explode with the amount of emotion he was feeling at this moment. The love, the hurt and the confusion.

And the anger so terrible and deep that it was now pushing aside all the other emotions that had flashed through him. His hands curled into tight fists and his nails bit painfully into the flesh, breaking the skin and causing blood to flow.

_A fury that ran so deep it consumed him whole. The kyuubi stirred hungrily inside him, and called out for blood to be spilled. Sasuke's blood…_

"Naruto!" Tsunade snapped quietly. "Control yourself!"

He felt a hand clench his arm tightly.

"Stop it Naruto. Remember where you are!" Gaara hissed in his ear. The pain of Gaara's fist brought him to his senses slightly, and he forced himself to concentrate on that, instead of what he was feeling.

"Tsunade. The last time I saw you, I believe you were impaled on the end of my sword." Orochimaru chuckled.

"Cut the pleasantries, Orochimaru. Why are you here?" Tsunade asked, her voice echoing loudly across the space between the two groups.

Her question was ignored by her old enemy, and pale yellow eyes slid over the konoha nin.

"And where is that Kyuubi brat of yours? I don't see him"

Sasuke straightened slightly at the mention of his name, his eyes alertly searching the group once more.

"He's around somewhere." Tsunade said dismissively. "Why are you here?"

Those snake like eyes settle once more on Tsunade, and his thin lips curved into a knowing smile. Tsunade stood unfazed by his scrutiny, and did not seem bothered in the slightest that Orochimaru was mocking her.

"Straight to the point, as usual." Orochimaru commented. "I've come to offer my assistance to your cause."

"Really? And why's that?"

"If you're enemies my enemy, then you are my friend." Was the reply.

"So you're saying that you wish an alliance in order to defeat the Akatsuki?"

"How very astute of you, Tsunad," Orochimaru laughed. "It would to both our benefits wouldn't you say?"

"Why now?"

Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, and tossed a strand of hair over his shoulder.

"It has become…difficult for me recently. At this current moment, my forces are not strong enough to defeat the Akatsuki. Neither, it seems, are yours."

There was a silence as Tsunade contemplated her ex-team mate. Naruto felt slightly dizzy. The conversation had moved so quickly, and it seemed as though time was standing still. The silence stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, as both groups awaited her response.

"Well?" Orochimaru asked, impatience making his question seem sharp.

Tsunade met his gaze once more, her face serious.

"There will be terms, of course." She stated flatly.

Naruto was shocked. He couldn't believe it. She was making an alliance with one of Konoha's most hated and infamous enemies. It seemed to be beyond conception that Tsunade would do such a thing. He refused to believe this was real. Perhaps it was another of his nightmares. It sure seemed like one.

An alliance…with the traitors of Konoha?

_With Orochimaru and…Sasuke?_

Gaara's grip tightened as his fury returned in full force.

* * *

Collapses in an exhausted heap Gawd that took ages to type! But yeah, so now you all know…it was difficult to write, and I'm not sure if I fully conveyed what the characters are supposed to be feeling as well as I could have. I'm not very happy with this chapter, but screwed if I'm going to re-write it! Well, maybe one day. 

Hmmm…so review and let me know what you think. If you have any suggestions let me know! If you hate me now for writing such blasphemous things that's fine! I'm used to people hating me, so go right ahead! But anyways, hope you're interested, and please keep reading for more Sasu/Naru action! laughs evilly the next chapter will be a shock! You'll keel over from shock, I know! But anyway…Review! (please? I'll give you all cookies!)

(Btw, this chapter was nine pages long! My longest yet!)


	15. Face to Face II

So. Here we are with the next chapter! And yay! No flamers for the last chapter, so I'm going to go ahead! HAHA! There's no stopping me now! And yes! There is Sasuke! He's back! What will happen? DUN DUN DUN…….So yea, normal rputine, review responses and warnings etc, then…Onward!

**Thanks to:**

**Cheerful Pinkstar: **I'm so sorry I forgot to mention your review in the last chapter! Please forgive me! Thanks for both of your reviews, and I hope these updates are coming fast enough for you now! Please keep reading, cause I love all my reviewers!

**DarkvsLight: **More Sasuke for you! Don't you love me? Prepared to be shocked, thrilled, excited….well anything goes really! But have fun reading! I hope you'll like this chapter!

**ChocoBaby: **Hopefully this chapter will be more understandable! Sorry if I confused you, if you want me to explain anything, let me know! Please forgive me! I love you!

**AngieSash: **A new reviewer! squeals Yay! But I'm very honored that you reviewed, seeing as you don't review very often! And yesh, I have converted you into the world of Neji/Gaa! I do hope the plotbunnies keep visiting me! Cause I would die if they ever left me! So thanks again, and I hope to be hearing from you again!

**Diclaimer: **Absolutely nothing to do with Naruto belongs to me…except this story..but the characters don't! Oh and the song is the same one as last time. The turning away, by Pink Flyod

**Warnings: **Ho Hum…okay, so there's some slight violence, tension, angst…but no shounen ai, or yaoi…sorry everyone!

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: _Face to Face II_

_It's a sin that somehow_

_Light is changing to shadow_

_And casting its shroud_

_Over all we have known_

_Unaware how the ranks have grown_

_Driven on by a heart of stone_

_We could find that we're all alone_

_In the dreams of the proud._

"Of course." Orochimaru purred. His satisfaction was evident in his silken voice. "Name them."

Tsunade wasted no time in coming up with an answer. It was obvious that she knew what she wanted, and that she would give no ground in the bargaining process. Naruto knew by hard experience what a tough and stubborn opponent Tsunade could be when it came to bargaining.

"You are not to set foot inside Konoha's walls unless I myself allow it. Your men will be under my command. You are to keep your distance from the villagers. I'm warning you now, Orochimaru. No tricks. None of your little games and deceptions. You came to me for help but it will be under my conditions."

"I wouldn't expect any less from you, Tsunade. What else?"

"We will need insurance of you loyalty. Something that would make you think twice about betraying this alliance."

"I'm assuming we're not talking about signed documents Tsuande-sama?" Kabuto interjected, with a slight bow.

"No we're not. Something of personal value to Orochimaru himself." Tsuande answered slightly sarcastically.

Naruto knew the reason for Tsunades' amusement, for he too, doubted that there was little that Orochimaru held dear to his heart.

"I expected something like this. And I came prepared. I offer my most valuable possession."

Sasuke stepped forward, and Naruto almost collapsed from shock.

_Sasuke? They were surrendering Sasuke?_

He was willingly giving himself to Konoha? Naruto felt disgusted. Sasuke now lived a life of being someone else's possession. Not a person, not an individual with feelings, but a trophy to be gloated over. It was a pathetic way to live, but Naruto couldn't manage to feel sorry for his former best friend. He'd tried to warn him that this was the life he'd lead if he joined Orochimaru, but as usual, Sasuke hadn't listened. Because he was always right, and anyone who dared to oppose him was always wrong. It was that kind of arrogant thinking that had gotten him into this position. But Naruto doubted if Sasuke even cared.

Knowing him, it made no difference. As long as he got powerful, he didn't care about who he had to become, or who he had to kill. Sasuke never liked to be second best. No one ever thought he noticed, but he'd always known when Sasuke was jealous. He saw the way that Sasuke would seethe when he learned how much Naruto had been learning. He'd seen the way that Sasuke had glared when he learnt that maybe Naruto wasn't as pathetic and weak as he'd originally thought him to be. Sasuke was jealous, and proud, and narrow minded. That was why he was here today, facing Naruto instead of standing beside him. It was still so painful, knowing that nothing he had done had made any difference to Sasuke. Nothing he did succeeded in changing him, and making him stay. Maybe he was too naïve in thinking that people could change. But he'd always hoped that maybe Sasuke would come back of his own accord, and at least _try _to change. He would have been happy with that. It would have been enough.

But no. Now here he was, being offered as part of an alliance deal as if he was some sort of doll, some soulless toy. It disgusted Naruto, and made him sad at the same time. Despite all of this, he couldn't help but love him. Despite all his faults, Naruto was still hopelessly, and foolishly in love with his enemy. Time and distance had changed nothing, and it probably never would. He could do nothing but watch. He would not wait, because that would be another false hope. He had given up on hope along time ago.

"Sasuke? You're giving us Sasuke?" Tsunade asked incredulously.

Naruto broke out of his depressing scrutiny of Sasuke and the past, to once more concentrate on the task. It was dangerous to let his attention waver at a time like this. It was a risky situation that required concentration and it was bad for him to be daydreaming.

"So distrustful, Tsuande!" Orochimaru laughed. "I am. On the condition that he is returned to me after this alliance ends, and that he remains unharmed."

Tsunade still seemed doubtful for a moment, but she seemed to quickly make up her mind.

"Agreed."

"Of course, I will need some insurance of my own."

Naruto tensed, and waited for the inevitable blow that was to come. His jaw was clenched painfully tight. Whatever Orochimaru was about to demand, it wouldn't be good.

"Name you price."

"A life for a life, wouldn't you say?" Orochimaru smiled slowly. "Although I doubt you would willingly hand one of your men over to me."

The man smiled slowly, in a way that had most of the Konoha nin shiver unconsciously. He had always had that effect on people. Naruto had been terrified when he was first faced with the man in the chuunin exams, but then, he'd been angry too, and that was enough to drown out fear.

"What about Naruto? I'm curious to see that useless brat again."

"Impossible." Tsunade refused immediately.

She said it in exactly the same tone of voice she had always used when refusing to let him do something. He was glad to know that he wasn't the only one she used it again.

"I doubt there is anyone you value as highly as him"

So now they were faced with another dilemma, but that was to be expected. Anything involving Orochimaru, and Sasuke was bound to be wrought with problems.

"Hokage-sama."

Neji's quiet voice surprised Naruto and Tsuande, who both turned to face the speaker. His words were loud enough to be heard by Tsunade and Naruto but no one else.

"If I may make a suggestion?"

"Go ahead."

All eyes were on the Anbu as he stepped forward and knelt before Tsunade with his head bowed.

"Let them have me. It would be an honor to serve Konoha in such a manner."

"No." Naruto said flatly refusing.

He couldn't lose Neji. He was too much of a valued comrade and friend for Naruto to lose now. He would be lost without him. Neji was like a shadow at his side, always there to support him. He would not give him over to the enemy.

"I need him."

"I agree." Tsunade said. "I'm not giving you to them. Not only are you a valued officer, but you posses a blood line limit, and we can't let that fall into his hands."

"But Hokage-sama…"

"I have no wish for your man's life. I merely want insurance." Orochimaru spoke up impatiently." Bring him over here."

Tsuande looked like she was going to refuse, and Naruto was silently begging her to do so.

"It's okay, Hokage-sama. This is my choice to make, and I have made it willingly."

"No." Naruto repeated. "This is ridiculous. I can't believe you're even considering this."

"Naruto." Neji was looking at him now, although Naruto couldn't see his eyes. "I'd rather it was me than you."

"Well I don't." Naruto retorted. He turned to Tsunade. "Tsunade, you can't…"

"Fine." She cut him off and completely ignored him. "If you're sure that this is what you want?"

"It is, hokage-sama." Neji bowed once more.

Naruto was inwardly seething. He hated being ignore, and he was terrified of what would happen. And angry at Orochimaru and Sasuke for all of this….

"Naruto. Escort him over there." Tsunade said quietly. "And keep disguising your chakra signature. Its best if they do't know who you are yet."

"Hai.."

He beckoned to two other Anbu members and they fell in step behind Neji and himself. Taking a few deep breaths, he forced his anger down, and let worry replace it instead. He refused to let his anger control him, but fear was a different matter all together. His concern for Neji was first in his mind. Fear was constricting his chest.

_He couldn't lose Neji now…he was a brief point of stability in an otherwise unstable world._

"Neji…" he whispered under his breath.

"It'll be okay, Naruto. I'll be fine." Neji muttered beneath his breath as they approached where Orochimaru was standing. Naruto was unsure if Neji was trying to convince him or reassure himself.

Al around them, everyone was silent and still. No one was speaking, and no breeze stirred the trees. None of the normal night sounds reached his ears, no sounds of small animals scuttling around, no crickets calling, nothing.

_It was as if this moment had been anticipated. The moment when old comrades turned enemies met once more, after many years of anger and hatred and pain._

Naruto could feel everyone watching them as they stopped in front of Orochimaru. The tension in the air was so thick that Naruto was almost choking on it. Neji briskly lowered his hood and lifted his mask, his pale eyes meeting Orochimaru's briefly before turning to Sasuke. The hatred and cold rage in Neji's eyes almost made Naruto shiver.

Sasuke remained as impassive as ever, and showed no sign of interest in Neji.

Anger and bitterness formed a tight ball in his stomach, and settled its weight heavily there. Naruto's sensitive nose picked up a familiar and strange scent, amongst the thousands around him. It was Sasuke's scent, he realized.

It reminded him of a shadowed forest after rain; cool, refreshing and sharp.

_Addictive…tantalizing…_

Neji's eyes dismissed Sasuke and turned once more to Orochimaru. His long ponytail was flying free in the sudden breeze that kicked up, and stray strands fell around his face.

Naruto watched as Orochimaru's eyes ran over Neji's face, a calculating and curious look in his eyes. Naruto tensed in anger and almost snarled at the man. _How dare he look at Neji like that? That filthy gaze…defiling an honorable and loyal person. His friend._

But he bit his tongue, as he thought of what Tsunade would do to him if he disobeyed her orders. Besides, this was what Neji wanted, he reminded himself. He would be positively livid if Naruto did anything.

"Do what you will." Neji said in a monotone voice, his eyes distant and cold.

Orochimaru smiled and stepped forward. The Anbu behind him swiftly drew weapons, ready to defend their superiors, but Naruto held up a hand to forestall them.

There was a brief pause. Orochimaru whipped his head forward and sank his teeth into the smooth skin of Neji's neck, exactly as he had done to Sasuke all those years ago. He withdrew after a few seconds.

Neji cried out in pain, and collapsed, unconscious. Naruto caught his limp body and held his firmly. On his neck, two black commas had appeared on his neck, facing each other (1). These commas were surrounded by tiny symbols, interwoven together.

"A curse seal," Orochimaru commented as he wiped a trickle of blood from his chin. "If you should break the alliance, or harm Sasuke before this is over, he will die. Slowly and painfully."

"And if you should do the same, Sasuke will die also." Tsunade replied calmly. "I assume the treaty is over as sson as the Akatsuki are defeated."

"Of course." Orochimaru agreed. "Sasuke."

The dark haired man stepped forward.

"He is in your hands now. Take good care of my Sasuke-kun, Captain."

Naruto didn't bother to reply, looking both Orochimaru and Sasuke over as he shifted Neji's weight in his arms.

"Take his weapons." He quietly ordered the two behind him in a low voice. "Bind his hands."

They moved to follow his orders and once this was done, they made the way back to Tsunade, with Sasuke walked between them. He didn't say a word and Naruto was glad.

He was unsure how he would react his he heard his voice. Probably fly into a fit of rage and attack him. Possibly break down crying. Or perhaps he wouldn't react at all. He didn't know anything anymore.

Once they were safely behind Tsunade again, Tsunade spoke once more.

"You make may camp along Konoha's borders, My people will be watching you closely." Tsunades' crisp voice rang sharply in Narutos' ears. He was glad for her strength at the moment; it was feeding him, keeping him strong and in control.

Orochimaru's laughter was harsh.

"You sound as if you don't trust me."

"That's because I don't. Leave."

With another laugh, Orochimaru turned and gestured for his men to disperse. Once they had all melted into the trees once more, Tsuande turned to Narutos' small groups. Gaara was next to Naruto's shoulder, and he reached out a hand to touch Neji's shoulder, his eyes locked onto Neji's still face.

Tsunade was looking Sasuke over with hard eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke. It's been a few years."

He still said nothing, and he didn't seem to care.

"Take him to the holding cells and put a guard on him. I want him watched at all times." The guards nodded and led an unresisting Sasuke away.

Now it was his turn to be studied by those golden eyes. He received a small smile.

"You did well Naruto. I know that wasn't easy for you, and I'm proud." She said softly.

He nodded and couldn't seem to force any words of thanks around the lump in his throat, but she didn't seem to mind.

She glanced briefly at Neji's body, then turned towards the gates.

"Bring him." She said over her shoulder.

* * *

Sorry, a short chapter, I know, but I don't have time to type the rest up cause my mum wants me to go to bed and I wanted to post this chapter tonight. So I shortened it! But don't worry, the last bit of this chapter, will be a whole new chapter in itself! So you won't miss out on anything! Hope you enjoyed reading. And Choco Baby, I hope it wasn't too hard to understand! Well, review, and let me know what you thought of it! 

Ja Ne!


	16. Acceptance

I got such an amazing response for the last chapter! I'd like to thank you all for your support, and your wonderful encouragement. I hope it's living up to all of your expectations! And for those of you who are worried, Sasuke does talk! Its nothing to worry about, so sit back and enjoy the story!

**Thanks to:**

**Cheerful Pinkstar: **Hope this is soon enough for you! You're not dead yet are you? Lol! Thanks for your review! Your profile is very interesting by the way. I thought it was quite funny…but anyways…hope you enjoy!

**LookYitsSpam: **I decided to avoid a but kicking this time around, so I updated as soon as I could! Please don't hurt me!whimpers And Sasuke and Naruto will talk, I just wanna build up to it a little, and we all know that Sasuke isn't a big talker (it'd be easier to talk to a wall, I swear) so I'm trying to figure out a way around it! Thanks for your update!

**Chibishinoby: **How can I resist such a sweet puppy dog face? Lol, but anyway, another reader glued to their screen! Yay for me! Hope you keep reading, thanks for the review!

**SapphireC: **I'm glad you'll make an exception for me! Thanks for your wonderful review, and all the encouraging comments! I really appreciate it! Hugs I beg you to keep reading, cause I couldn't live without my reviewers! Thank you!

**DarkvsLight: **Too true, Orochimaru is just too weird for me! Gives me the shivers! sigh brave Neji! We love him don't we! He's wonderful! Hope you enjoy this chapter too! Hugs!

**ChocoBaby: **Thanks once again! Hopefully I've gotten better at the emotions, cause I suck at writing them! Thanks!

**Chimerical: **Yay! I'm so proud! Thank you for your review! And I do think the sexual tension is important in this story, so maybe I'll focus on that a bit more in the following chapters? But anyways, thanks again for your lovely review!

**Momochi Zabuza: **Yup! Can't beat a good confrontation can you? Yes, Neji is the best! The sacrifices he makes…sigh…..soz, I'm hugely infatuated with Neji1 He's one of my favorite Characters! glomps thank you Zabbi for your review! Mwaha, I couldn't think up a better nickname for you, so this'll have to do! Forgive me! ;)

**Angiesash: **Thanks for your lovely reward! Ya, I don't like to leave my reviewers in suspense, and I don't want to lose their interest, so I try to update as soon as I can! Don't worry, Sasuke does speak soon….maybe not much, but he does speak! Hehe….actually, I don't write the poems I put at the beginning of each chappie! Sometimes I forget to acknowledge who write them, so I'll make a bigger effort to try and remember from now on, to try and avoid confusion! But I do write some poetry, and maybe one of these days I'll include some in a story! Thanks again for your review!

**Di-sama: **Thanks for the compliment, and good wishes! Please keep reading, and I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **No, Naruto still doesn't belong to me, and never will. The song "No way Out" belongs to Phil Collins.

**Warnings: **Angst and a tiny bit of violence, but nothing big. Sorry to disappoint!

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: _Acceptance_

_There's no way out of this dark place_

_No hope, no future_

_I know I can't be free_

_But I can't see another way_

_I can't face another day_

The journey back to Tsunade's office was a blur to Naruto. He could remember nothing except feeling cold as the harsh wind hit his body. He was struggling to come to his senses and wake up when the door to Tsunade's office closed behind them. His concern for Neji's well being grounded him after a moment of ringing silence.

Naruto lay Neji down on the couch carefully, and hovered over him, wondering what to do next. Tsunade pushed him away gently and bent over to examine the still body before her.

Naruto glanced at Gaara, who was standing behind the couch and looking down on the figure on the couch. He didn't move, or say anything; his eyes remained glued to Neji's face intently.

After a few agonizing moments, Tsunade sat back on her heels with a sigh.

"He'll be okay. The seal was just a shock to his system," was her diagnosis. "He'll recover in a few hours."

Naruto exhaled with relief, and released the pent up tension, his shoulders slumping as the onslaught of information hit him again.

"Tsunade. I don't understand." He whispered. "I don't understand any of this."

He was too tired to figure out how he was supposed to feel now. Too confused to try to make any sense of the events that had taken place this night.

Tsunade touched his arm gently.

"I know you don't Naruto, and you probably won't for awhile." She murmured sympathetically.

"How…_why_ would you do this?" he asked, a tinge of anger in his voice. "They're traitors, criminals…"

He barely noticed Shizune slipping in the room carrying a tray of tea and sake. She poured Tsunade a cup of tea, and the Hokage took it as she made her way to her chair. She took a long sip and sighed.

"Because to be brutally honest, I know we can't survive this invasion alone. You know that too. Orochimaru…is in just a difficult position as we are, and the only way to defeat the Akatsuki is by fighting together."

"Demo…"

"No Naruto, just listen for a moment." Tsunade interrupted him. "I know this is hard for you to accept, and I know that you're hurting. Orochimaru won't betray us, because he needs us as much as we need him. We need to win this war, and I intend to do anything in my power to ensure that we survive. Plus we have the thing he treasures the most, his next vessel. It is only for the duration of the war. After that, they'll be gone."

"But why?"

It was obvious that Tsunade knew that he wouldn't let it go until she gave him a different answer to what she had given.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

"We have no friends left, Tsunade. Only enemies," Naruto whispered with his head lowered. He didn't want to see their sympathetic eyes, and he didn't want their understanding because it made him feel too vulnerable.

"I know it's hard for you to see him again Naruto. There's a lot of things you need to resolve between you. Just hold out for a little longer. I _need _you Naruto. Now more than ever."

Naruto lifted his head and looked at the woman who was Hokage. The youthful appearance of Tsunade was still there, but she had never looked older to him, nor more weary.

He didn't want to hear that she needed him. He didn't want to know how much they wanted him to do. It was selfish, he knew, but for once he didn't care. Why couldn't things go his way for once? Why did it always have to be about how much they needed him? They didn't need to constantly remind him of the responsibilities on his shoulders, of all the things he still had to do. He didn't want to hear about all his duties. What was duty anyway? Was it merely an obligation handed to you by the society you lived in, by the people who you associated with? If it was, then why was he bothering to endure all the things that came with his duties? What had his village ever done for him except cause him grief? In reality, the only reason why he even bothered to stay was because of his precious people.

He knew that he was being selfish, but for once, his battered and beaten conscious refused to kick in. It was cruel and heartless, but he was too tired to care. Once he got a little rest, he knew that he'd remember the thoughts running though his head and feel horrible for thinking them.

He looked up at Tsunade gritty, tired eyes.

"I'm yours to command, Tsunade. What would you have me do?"

She watched him for a moment before calling beckoning Shizune to move closer.

"I want you to take Neji to the hospital. Put him under observation for a while, and give him a physical when he wakes up. I don't want to take any chances."

"Of course Tsunade-sama. I'll take him right away." Shizune bowed.

"Gaara-sama. Go with her if you would."

Gaara nodded at her once, glanced briefly at Naruto before he moved around the couch and carefully picked up Neji and followed Shizune to the door. It opened before they got there, and Jiraiya entered, acknowledging the three with a brief nod as he closed the door behind them.

"I heard what happened."

Tsunade nodded as she set down her cup of tea.

"No doubt. Naruto, get some rest. Tomorrow morning I'm calling a progress meeting to see how the evacuation is going. I'll need you there."

"Hai." Naruto swayed as he got to his feet, barely hearing what she said.

His limbs felt heavy, as if he had lead weights attached to them. His head was throbbing, pounding painfully, and he resisted the urge to just lie down on the floor and shut everything out for the moment.

He was rudely jerked back to reality when Jiraiya's strong hand fell onto his shoulder to steady him.

"Take him to Iruka's," Tsunade was saying to the white haired man. "I don't want him to be alone tonight." Tsunade said.

Jiraiya didn't reply, but guided Naruto to the door.

Suddenly, all Naruto wanted to see was to see his favorite sensei again. He wanted to feel secure and safe again; to be held in the strong arms of one who truly cared for him, and to be assured that the world wasn't as bad as he thought it was.

Iruka opened his door, slightly annoyed to be disturbed at such an hour of the night. Upon seeing Jiraiya supporting a dazed looking Naruto, however, his annoyance disappeared and was replaced by concern.

"Jiraiya-sama? What happened?"

"Sasuke's back, and Tsunade wants you to watch over Naruto for the night." Jiraya replied, uncommonly serious.

"N-nani? Sasuke? How?" Iruka stammered, shocked and unable to comprehend how this turn of events had occurred.

"It's complicated, and too hard to explain right now. There is a meeting tomorrow morning. You're expected to be there with Naruto."

"H-hai. Of course Jiraiya-sama."

Iruka took Naruto's arm gently and guided him through the door as Jiraiya turned to go. The old hermit's eyes lingered on Naruto for a moment before meeting Iruka's warm brown eyes.

"Look after him. He's in shock, I think and is very confused." He said quietly before disappearing.

"Of course I will." Iruka murmured as he closed the door.

What else could he do at a time like this?

_Water cascaded deafeningly, and echoed loudly through the lonely Valley of the End. Across the chasm stretched before him, he could see Sasuke standing there and mocking him silently with his eyes, laughing at his pain. They were no longer kids, and miles of painful history lay between them._

_Naruto couldn't meet those eyes any longer and looked down into the water below them. Was it cold, like Sasuke? What would happen if he jumped? Would the water swallow him and suck him down into its quiet, welcoming depths?_

_He wouldn't float, that's for sure. His heart was too heavy, his body and soul too burdened by sin and sadness. He would sink, never to resurface again. He wasn't sure if he'd want to return. He'd rather stay where it was dark and quiet._

"_Dobe."_

_He didn't speak loudly, but Naruto could hear him clearly over the roaring of the falls. His voice echoed through his body, reverberating, amplifying and making it impossible for him to ignore it._

"_Nani?" His own voice sounded dead and hollow. Not alive and eager as it once had. He found himself wishing for the boy he had once been. He despised the people who had murdered that boy, who had raped him of his innocence, and turned him into the dead being that he now was. He wanted that carefree, bright child back again, and he mourned because he knew that he wouldn't return, not ever. He had seen too much to go back to being who he once was._

"_You're angry."_

_A simple statement and one that seemed to him, rather stupid. How could he not be angry after all he had done? How could he expect that Naruto would be anything less?_

_Naruto didn't reply. There was nothing he could say to such a blunt statement._

_A hand lifted his chin, and he jumped in surprise. Sasuke was in front of him now, and there was no avoiding his pure loveliness.He shivered, feeling the waves of cold that rolled off the perfect body before him._

"_You still want me though." Sasuke murmured, the smooth velvet of his voice rippling pleasantly over Naruto's senses. These seductive words were whispered into his ear, and Naruto began to tremble helplessly, wanting to run, but not able to bring his body to do so._

"_You still love me."_

_The cold mist that accompanied his words curled over his naked flesh, sucking all signs of strength from his limbs. All his warmth was taken from his, as Sasuke's cold enveloped him once more._

_Sasuke moved back and looked down at him._

_He couldn't fight him. It was too hard. Too painful and too impossible. He was tired of fighting losing battles._

_Sasuke smiled cruelly when he saw the resigned submission in Naruto's eyes._

"_You are mine," He whispered. "You will always belong to me."_

_Cold lips took his hungrily, drawing the strength from his bones._

_Sasuke's hands were roaming over his body, pulling him up tight against Sasuke's hard chest._

_He was no longer a person, and individual. He was an object to be owned and manipulated. Emotionless and empty……_

Naruto awoke abruptly in a cold sweat, his breath laboring in his chest. It was nearing dawn and he still felt exhausted, despite the few hours of tortured sleep he'd just been subjected to.

Iruka had stayed up for the remainder of the night, talking softly to Naruto, asking questions and comforting him non-intrusively. He'd been grateful for his companionship. Iruka had held him when he'd asked, and told him stories of his own childhood. Naruto felt like he was twelve years old again. A child in need of comfort and reassurance that the world wasn't as bad as it people made it out to be.

Iruka had pulled through for him yet again. He'd understood, without words, what Naruto was going through. The confusion and bewilderment had faded away a little under Iruka's loving care, and things were a little clearer for Naruto now. Iruka's presence had been like a cooling balm on Naruto's burning wounds, and had effectively eased the pain for a while.

But now in the light of day, the situation returned to Naruto in full force, bringing with it a whirlwind of half recognizable emotions. Fury and hatred, love and longing, guilt and remorse.

He fully intended to make Sasuke pay for what he had done. He intended to make him pay for all the suffering and pain he had caused. He kept a tight rein on his anger though; he would not let it and his thirst for revenge mess with his head and affect his judgment. The time for confrontation would present itself in due time, and until it did, he would wait patiently and bide his time.

_Unlike Sasuke, who had failed to wait, all those years ago. His need for revenge had driven him away, and made him abandon every good thing he had._

Well, Naruto would not let the same thing happen to him. He would let things play out, and wait for fate to give him his turn.

Slowly, he got up and heaved his aching body towards the bathroom. He had a meeting to get to.

* * *

Mwah, sorry if this chapter doesn't make sense. I wrote it over a period of about three days, because I lacked the motivation to finish typing it! Originally, it there was more to this chapter, but I had to cut it back, because it was too long. The remainder of this chapter is now a completely new chapter! So I hope you'll keep reading this story! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and for all your encouragement! There's a lot more to come, so stay tuned! 


	17. The Truth Hurts

I'm Back with another chapter! I just got back from a family holiday, and I'm studying my lil but of, cause I have my final exams in a little more than a week! Yikes! But I decided to take a break and post some new stories and chapters. If you want, you can check out my other stories that I posted today! Feel free to review too! I wouldn't mind, really I wouldn't! But anyways, here's the review responses and the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Review responses!**

**Cheerful Pinkstar: **Hoo, I must have made it confusing! Yes, it was a dream and not reality (not yet, anyway!winks) Hope you enjoy this update!

**Trekiael: **YAY! A new reader! It must have been hard for you to read it all in one go! But I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Yay, you like all the same pairings that I do! Don't worry, I won't kill them. (or will i? hehe!) Keep reading! It won't disappoint, I promise!

**DarkvsLight:** Oh my loyal reviewer! I must feed your addiction, mustn't i? I have to keep you hooked after all! Don't worry, its coming….just keep reading! Pwease?

**Angiesash: **Yep, its another update, just for you! Don't worry, they won't all be dreams! Although I won't be writing any lemon scenes for this one, because I tried to, and I failed miserably! sigh oh well, well do without! A lil kissing, a lil hugging…we'll have to make do with that ne? Enjoy!

**Momochi Zabuza: **Haven't heard from you in AGES! I missed you! hugs Ahem, but anyway, YES! Confrontation is imminent! Yep, and Sasuke/Naruto is coming too, rest assured! I LOVE YOU! Thanks for reviewing!

So, not as many reviews that time round, but that's okay! I wanna get this chapter typed anyway, before my parents come home and boot me off the computer! Here goes!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto isn't mine! The song is Famous Last words by Zeromancer

**Warnings: **angst, violence and confrontation (its not what you think!)

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: _The Truth Hurts_

_Tar for feathers_

_Blood for honey_

_Milk for money_

_Isn't it funny how it hurts,_

_How it hurts?_

_You never see me make_

_The same mistake twice_

_You never see a tear_

_Coming out of these eyes_

_You never see me beg_

_For another shot_

_And you never see me change_

_Into something I'm not_

_Into something I'm not_

_Famous Last words_

_--------------------------- _

In the briefing room, he saw that many of the nin in supervising and coordinating the evacuation were already present and waiting expectantly .

Naruto found Iruka in the crowd and made his way over to where he sat at the front. He took the chair beside him and Iruka smiled warmly at him.

"How are you feeling?"

Naruto gave him a nod. "Better, Iruka-senseii. Arigato for everything last night. I appreciate it." He said quietly.

"I only hope I was of some help. You know I'd do anything for you." Iruka squeezed him hand gently.

"I know, Iruka. Arigato."

Tsunade entered then, and sat down at the desk. The shinobi crowded into the room got up and bowed collectively, before they took their seats once more. Tsunade waited until they were all seated before she folded her hands and began to talk.

"I'm sure most of you have heard of the events that took place yesterday evening, and I know that most of you are…displeased with my decision."

She paused, and a low muttering began. Naruto caught the undertone of anger and bewilderment the words were carrying, but his eyes remained glued on Tsunade. He felt Iruka glance at him, but he paid him no heed.

"Rest assured that I have acted with the best interests of the village in mind. We have received some degree of insurance, and that should be sufficient for the time being.

"Speaking of which, what are your plans concerning the traitor, Hokage-sama?" Ibiki's voice rumbled from somewhere towards the back of the room.

"I have yet to finalize them, but they will be put into action by the end of today. They are to remain confidential, for security purposes.

I am aware that many are concerned about being betrayed by Orochimaru, and I have already taken this into consideration. We have no choice but to deal with that problem if it arises. Now, let's move on, shall we?"

Naruto listened with half an ear throughout the duration of the meeting. The evacuation was progressing ahead of schedule, with the people cooperating helpfully. The panicking individuals were soothed quickly in order to keep things moving, and problems were dealt with as swiftly as possible.

The academy students were being organized into work groups according to Iruka's report. The younger students were helping out wherever possible, securing shops and boarding up the school. Older students were helping out at the hospital. Shinobi who were already injured were moved with the rest of the evacuees in order to create room for the casualties to come.

Shinobi were working doubly as hard, reinforcing the walls of Konoha, and patrols were sent out regularly and the border guard swapped out in order to keep the shinobi rested and ready for the approaching battle. Nerves and anticipation was high, but there was a lot of doubt amongst the shinobi. It seemed that the everyone knew the possibility of actually winning was low. But it wasn't as if they were going to give up just yet. What else could they do but fight until the end?

Naruto knew that Shikamaru was one of the supervisors of the wall defense. The genius, lazy ninja was excellent at spotting flaws and weaknesses and could almost always find a solution to every problem. Naruto knew that Tsunade frequently sought his advice on various plans, and frankly, he was glad that Shikamaru was on their side. His intelligence was phenomenal, and his calm, clear head was always reassuring in the midst of battle.

He was unsure what his other friends were up to, but he knew they'd be working hard at what ever they were doing, but he couldn't help but worry for their safety. It was his job as a leader to see to the safety of his men, and he knew he shouldn't really be worrying about anything else, but it was instinctive to him.

Thankfully, the meeting ended quickly, and everyone left quickly, needing to return to their duties and assignments they needed to complete. He could still see the worry, and anxiety etched onto their pale and drawn faces as they filed past him, and it made him nervous to his stomach, seeing their utter lack of confidence. He was just as scared as they were, he was the first to admit that.

Iruka bade a quick and hurried farewell to Naruto before he headed off the check on the progress his students were making.

Naruto made his way down to where Tsuande was waiting for him. She looked at him with a calculating look in her eyes, which he had learned to dread.

"I need you to bring Sasuke to my office. Do you think you can handle it?" she asked carefully. He could see the impatience in her eyes. She was looking harried and rushed, and obviously needed to be elsewhere.

His stomach tensed into painful knots again at the thought of facing his enemy, but he gritted his teeth and nodded tensely.

"Of course. I'll be waiting in my office." She paused for a moment. "And Naruto? Be careful. We don't know what he's capable of yet, so be on your guard. Don't do anything rash either."

He bowed quickly and bit down on the resentment that her words evoked; did she think he was stupid? He wasn't going to let Sasuke have _any _advantage over him, no matter what his feelings toward him were.

Sasuke would know it was him today. For practical purposes, he had discarded his cloak- it only ever got in his way and irritated him. It wouldn't cover his distinctive hair. No one else had hair like he did, so there would be no mistaking him.

He wore the same gear he'd worn on the mission to escort Gaara – his chest plate and arm guards were clean, and shone dully as metal often did. Those strange arm bands were still in place (he still hadn't figured out what they were for). He removed his mask as he made his way towards the holding cells and attached it to his belt.

He would meet Sasuke face to face today. There would be nothing to hide behind, nothing that would give Sasuke the impression that he was vulnerable to his presence, or afraid to face him.

His footsteps echoed in the darkened stairwell, as he descended down into the underground holding facilities. He made his way down them, and paused when he reached level ground again.

He made his way past the empty cells either side of him. There was dim lighting, just enough to see by, and he could make out the forms of Sasuke's guards.

They straightened as he approached the cell and stopped before them.

Sasuke's back was turned, and he staring out of the elevated window, which let in fresh air and light. A patch of blue sky was just visible. (the window is high, because it is on ground level. The rest of the cell in under the ground)

Slowly, he turned to face Naruto, and they stared at each other in silence. There was a thousand things he could have said, but no words seemed suitable. There was not a flicker of surprise or even recognition from Sasuke. Not a flicker of any emotion from the traitor.

_Figures, _Naruto thought bitterly, but he kept his own blank mask in place.

Sasuke moved forward at last, and approached the bars of his cell. The nin on guard tensed beside him, but did not move from their positions. Sasuke moved with an air of cat-like grace about him.

_He'd always moved like that…_

"Naruto," he murmured coolly.

It was all he could do not to crumble. That voice, that deep, velvet smooth voice was what he had yearned to hear for seven long years.

Miraculously, he managed to keep his own mask in place. He didn't bother to reply to sasuke; what could he say anyway? How fitting that we should meet this way?

He couldn't find anything worthwhile to say, so he turned away, tearing his gaze from the figure before him.

"Bring him." He ordered the guards quietly.

He listened as they unlocked the cell and clamped restraints around his wrists, and waited until they had led him from the cell before he moved off, leading the way back up the stairs. The skin on the back of his neck prickled from the intensity of Sasuke's gaze as it drilled into him.

He walked stiffly, all his muscles tense as his anger threatened to choke the life out of him. It had formed a molten ball within his chest and left a bitter, sharp taste in his mouth. He was glad that Sasuke was unable to see his face as he struggle to maintain his veneer of calm.

Not a word was spoken during the short trip back to the hokage tower.

He knocked on Tsunade's door and opened it without waiting for an answer. She was deep in conversation with Jiraiya. Shizune, Gaara and amazingly a pale and shaken Neji.

Naruto's anger was momentarily forgotten as he felt a wave of relief at seeing one of his closest friends alive and healthy once more. He had to remind himself that he was still on duty and he bowed briskly.

"Hokage-sama."

"Arigato, Captain. Dismissed. Neji, Shizune, Gaara, you may leave too."

Naruto hesitated, but tuned and walked past Naruto without giving him a second glance, the others were close on his heels.

Once out of earshot down the hall he stopped and turned to Neji.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm fine, Naruto." Neji reassured him quickly. "I'm having a hard time believing that this is actually happening."

"You're not alone in that." Naruto told him stiffly, afraid to let go of his tightly held control.

Neji touched his arm gently. "Naruto? How are you…handling all this?"

"I'm fine." He replied shortly.

"You're not. Anyone can see that."

"I said I'm fine." He said harshly.

"Naruto…"

He turned away. "Neji, just…leave it."

"No Naruto. We've talked about this before."

He began to walk away, but Neji's strong grip on his arm stopped him. He struggled to get away before he lost control and hurt them accidentally. He felt his anger rising like bile in his throat, a red film coating his vision. Neji wouldn't let him go though and he dimly felt Gaara watch the struggle, but not join in.

"Leave me alone!"

"No, Naruto! You're a danger to everyone like this!" Neji snapped.

He finally managed to rip himself away from his grasp and, not even aware of what he was doing, began to pound the wall closest to him repeatedly with his fist. He was unable to stop himself, as he blindly vented his rage and fury on the defenseless, unsuspecting wall.

He found himself wishing it was Sasuke's face he was hitting as his anger slowly drained away and left him feeling empty and tired.

Neji and Gaara had done nothing to stop him, and eventually he became still as he slid weakly to the ground.

"Gomen, Neji. Gomen ne." he whispered, nursing his bleeding, throbbing hand. He watch distractedly as the kyuubi's chakra began to heal his injured hand. The pain was already gone.

Neji knelt down in front of him.

"Don't apologize."

"I just..don't know what to do. How am I supposed to just…act as if nothing has happened? How can he be so…unaffected by all this?

"You have every right to be angry with him."

Gaara appeared above them now.

"Stand up."

He was pulled roughly to his feet and found himself looking into Gaara's hard aqua eyes.

"Get a hold of yourself. If you keep showing your weaknesses like this, the Akatsuki are going to have no trouble capturing you!"

Naruto didn't know how to reply and he almost trembled as Gaara looked him over with scathing eyes.

"It's a good thing you're wearing those arm bracelets."

This jolted Naruto out of his semi-stupor. "What?"

"Those armlets shield your chakra. No one can sense you unless they're within extremely close range. That's probably why no one's come after you yet."

So that's what the hag had done. He was suddenly immensely grateful that she had thought to do such a thing. This was probably why Orochimaru hadn't know who he was last night.

"When the time comes for you to confront Sasuke, that's when you can get rid of all the anger and hurt. But right now, you're letting it control you and everything you do. There's more at stake right now. Much more." Gaara said, a sharp and dangerous edge in his voice.

"Gaara…" Neji began to interrupt uncertainly.

"No!" He snapped. "It's time he heard this."

Naruto was once more pinned by those merciless eyes as they ran over him in utter disgust.

"Look at you. You're a disgrace. Stop being so self centered and think of someone else other than yourself for once. You're not the only one who's felt the way you do, and yet you go around moping about something that happened seven years ago. I thought you were stronger than that. I thought you had more honor and integrity. I was wrong. Right now, you're pathetic."

Gaara's spiteful words stung, and he recoiled as if he'd been physically hit. Pain made his chest clench tightly and he found it difficult to breath. The silence was grating and it felt as if they were the only people in the world.

He felt like he was about to cry. He didn't want to cry in front of them. Desperately, he pushed the tears back as his mind cart wheeled in shock and confusion. A dozen hurtful retorts flashed through his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to strike back. He had to run. He had to get away…

"I…I have to go," he said, dazedly. "I'll see you later."

Slowly, he turned and began to walk away.

"Naruto…" he heard Neji's soft voice, but he couldn't bring himself to turn back. He couldn't face them right now.

He needed to be alone. He just wanted to be alone for a while, so he could think.

Awhile later, after he had wandered around numbly, he found himself on top of the Hokage monument, looking down at the people below as they headed for the shelters.

_Is this how they all feel? How they had always felt? Was he that much of a burden and an annoyance to his friends?_

He felt himself shaking violently and he sat down abruptly on the smooth stone beneath him. He felt so stupid, so humiliated.

He didn't think he'd been attention seeking, and fishing around for sympathy. It seemed like he had been though, and they were finally sick of him.

He was weak- a nuisance that no body needed. He felt ashamed of himself.

_Where do I go from here? What do I do?_

He briefly considered leaving this all and running.

_But there's no where to go._

Everywhere was ruined by war. There was nowhere he could run to to find sanctuary this time. He considered suicide. Suddenly, he didn't want that anymore. He wasn't worthy of such a privilege was he?

Below him a child began to cry. The noise reached Naruto's ears and he raise his face to the blue, blue sky. It was morning now, and the sky seemed so lazy, so peaceful. Not a cloud was in sight. Just a perfect, blue calm.

_It shouldn't be like this…_

That sky was mocking him. It shouldn't be so peaceful when everything down here was so wrong, so screwed up.

What would it be like to fly away into that blue sky? To dominate the currents and to float free? Would it change anything? Would it make anything seem insignificant?

He doubted it. He wished it was true, and that there was a way to find out, but he knew there was no way to really know.

He looked down to those below him once more. He couldn't go. Not yet. They still needed him here.

_Maybe when everything is finished…maybe. But not yet._

He wouldn't be a burden on them anymore. He would follow his orders and he would end this. It didn't matter id he died or lived anymore. He had seem Sasuke again, and he knew that he hadn't, and would never change.

Something inside of him disappeared. That last shred of hope died. He missed it, and wanted it back, for it gave him something to live for.

_What's taken is never replaced…_

He would go on until the end. There was nothing else he could do now. Twin tears trickled slowly down his face, but he didn't move to wipe them away.

_This was the end of him, and the beginning of something else. A weapon, a tool to be used until it was no longer of any use._

After unhooking his mask, he settled it over his face. This mask would become his shelter now. While he had this on, nothing could hurt him, emotionally or otherwise. Not anymore. Words would slid off him like water over rocks.

'_You go around moping about something that happened seven years ago…'_

But never again.

Readying himself, he leapt off the hokage mountain.

* * *

There you go…something to keep you occupied for awhile. Sorry if its not any good, but my brother and my dad were arguing in the background and it kept breaking my concentration! It'll be better next time, I promise! Ja ne! 


	18. The Last Smile

BOO YEAH! Oh I'm so excited to be typing the next chapter! Is that weird? Oh well! I have new reviewers! – Does a little dance – But anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love you all so much!

**Review Replies:**

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**Disclaimer: **For the…what? Seventeenth time, Naruto Does not belong to me….sigh Neither does the song Funeral of Hearts by HIM

**Warnings: **Ohh…angst (surprise surprise), and uh…..LOVE! Ohh…Neji/Gaara…nothing too graphic though. Sorry guys!

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: _The Last Smile_

_The heretic seal beyond divine_

_Pray to god who's deaf and blind_

_The last night's the soul's on fire_

_Three little words and a question why_

_Love's the funeral of hearts_

_And an ode for cruelty_

_When angels cry blood_

_On flowers of evil in bloom_

_The funeral of hearts _

_And a plea for mercy_

_When Love is a gun_

_Separating me from you_

He spent all day touring the extra defenses that were being built around Konoha. The walls looked strong, but would they be strong enough to prevent an invasion?

He doubted it. If the Akatsuki wanted in, they'd get in, no matter how many defenses they raised or how strong they were. They'd only be torn down again. Tsunade planned to defend from the border, knowing their lines would be pushed back slowly but surely. If anything , it would buy them a little time. From there, she had a series of permanent lines established from the border right into the center of Konoha. She had also devised a solid plan, which was to be activated as soon as the invasion began.

Around mid afternoon, he spotted Shikamaru at a distance from where he was. Normally, he would approach his friend but now he hesitated, knowing that he was busy and could not afford to be distracted.

He turned away.

One of his Anbu members found him half an hour later; the Hokage was requesting his presence in her office.

Sighing, he knew he could avoid the issue no longer. He felt ready now, and slightly stronger. Well, he was ready at least, braced for the blows to come.

As the day had worn on, a strange feeling of detachment had overtaken him. He was grateful because it meant he didn't have to act anymore. This feeling was substituting everything else. It was enough to accomplish his goals, anyway. All he had to do was hold on to it.

Finish this war, follow orders. That was his duty, those were his goals.

Giving the messenger a nod, he headed for the hokage tower. Sasuke's two guards were at the door still; they opened it when he approached and he strode into the office for the second time that day.

Sasuke was seated before the hokage's desk- Tsunade was in her usual chair, with Jiraiya , Neji and Gaara standing behind her.

Naruto bowed swiftly and closed the door behind himself.

"You wanted me, Hokage-sama?"

"Captain. I have decided to place Sasuke under your care. We can't keep him in a cell when everyone else has evacuated." Tsunade began. "Neji and Gaara will be with you at all time. Sasuke will remain at your side during all hours of the day. Am I clear?"

Normally, he would have been spitting mad, and arguing fiercely with her. Now, he couldn't find the energy to protest. He should really have foreseen this coming after all. She would have placed him with someone else, had there been someone who was strong enough and not on mission. As it was, they were probably the only ones available ironically, who were actually strong enough to keep him under control.

"Yes, hokage-sama."

She looked faintly relieved that he wasn't going to fight her on this one and stood up.

"I'll be using a jutsu to join the two of you. You'll know where he is at all times, and his chakra will be under your control. Do you consent to this?" She asked him seriously.

He wanted to refuse. Despite the fact that he was pathetically in love with the man, he also hated him, and wanted to have nothing to do with him, much less be linked in anyway to him.

But he forced down his reservations however. There was obviously no way he could avoid the man, and it seemed that this was the way the hokage wanted it, so this was the way it would be.

"Hai. Has the prisoner agreed to this?" He asked woodenly.

"He has." She answered as she approached him.

"Then I am ready Hokage-sama."

She nodded, and began to form hand seals, too quickly for him make out what they were, and muttered a few words quietly.

For a split second, he couldn't breath or see anything. His vision turned white, and his head felt as if it was about to explode from the sudden pressure.

He felt himself stumble back a step before he regained both his balance and his eyesight. He was, however, left with a painful headache that was threatening to stab his eyes out soon.

And he felt like he wasn't the only one in his head anymore. He could _feel _something else there, an itching sensation at the back of his mind. Then, after concentrating on it for a moment, he could almost see Sasuke's chakra, a swirling hurricane of dark purple and blue power.

He blinked, and dragged himself back to his outside surroundings. He was still in the Hokage's office, and he still had company. No point in letting his guard down now.

"Now you Sasuke."

Naruto watched as she performed a different jutsu on Sasuke- a binding jutsu this time. He remained perfectly still, and didn't move or show any signs of pain, although Naruto knew that it must hurt. Hell, after years of spending time with the snake-bastard, it was inevitable that he gain some kind of defense against pain. It obviously was something he was used to. He wondered idly what kind of pain he would have gone through, as he waited for Tsunade to finish her work.

When she was done, she removed the manacles from his wrists that were chaining him to the chair.

He stood up, towering over everyone else except Jiraiya. Tsunade, not about to be intimidated by anyone, let alone Sasuke, looked up at him.

"You're Naruto's charge now. You are to remain with him at all times, and obey his orders. That goes for you too Neji, Gaara."

Neji and Gaara acknowledged her requests with slight bows of the head. Tsunade turned once more to Naruto.

"I want daily reports from you Captain. Remember what I told you earlier. You're not to stray from Konoha." She said, her eyes gaining a hardness which he knew meant that she was still angry with him for last time. It wasn't a point that they were going to agree on anytime soon, but he didn't bother to argue with her this time.

"Of course, Hokage-sama." He bowed, but they both knew it was a lie. If he needed to, then he would leave, and nothing short of confinement would stop him. She knew that, and maybe one day she would resort to that, but she knew the risks of doing that now.

"Good. Dismissed." She said.

He turned, and left quickly, with Neji, Gaara and Sasuke following.

"What are your orders Naruto?" Neji asked quietly, obviously wanting to break the silence.

"We were given none. You two are free to do as you wish." He told them shortly as he led the way out of the Hokage tower.

"We'll stay with you." Gaara spoke up.

"Fine."

Sasuke still hadn't said anything, and that suited Naruto perfectly. He could feel that dark presence behind him though. It was impossible to ignore, and they were all well aware of it. Naruto would not let the man intimidate him, and he definitely wouldn't show any of his feelings to him – he may as well have gone and stuck his head in the lions mouth, and he had no wish to do that any time soon.

At least this way, he didn't have to think of anything to say.

Neji caught up with him, as he was walking slightly ahead of the others.

"Naruto. About earlier…"

"Forget about it Neji. It doesn't matter."

"Demo…"

"Drop it Neji. It has nothing to do with you anyway."

Neji sighed heavily, and resigned himself to the fact that Naruto obviously wasn't going to talk about it.

"Where are we going?" Sasuke's deep, murmuring voice asked.

"Naruto faltered for the slightest of moments before continuing.

"To Sakura's. I believe she would want to see you." He replied tersely.

"Hn." Was his only reply.

Once, years ago, such a reply would have angered and irritated him beyond reason. He'd have shouted and screamed challenges at Sasuke, who would only ignore him further, or subtly continue to provoke him into a fight and humiliate Naruto even more.

Whatever reaction he was searching for now, he didn't get it. Naruto refused to play Sasuke's pointless games anymore. He was bigger than that, and he no longer needed to prove his existence to anyone.

_No all I want is some peace…_

Silence ruled supreme on the journey to Sakura's apartment. Not a word was spoken, and Naruto was satisfied with this arrangement. Exhaustion was nagging at his mind again, and he lacked the energy to make idle conversation. It wasn't worth it anyway.

_Like talking to a rock…A big, egotistical rock._

He knocked on Sakura's door and waited.

Lee was the one who answered now, looking pale and worn, but still on his feet. His eyes widened considerably when he saw who was accompanying them, but he made no comment.

"Is Sakura here?" he asked.

"She's asleep. Come in." was all he said.

He led them into the small living room.

"Wait here, I'll go get her." Lee told them.

He left them where they were and closed the bedroom door behind him. They stood still, no one speaking as low murmurs could be heard from behind the door for a few moments.

Neji wandered over to the balcony doors and looked out over the village. Gaara was currently looking at the pictures hung on the walls, but Sasuke and Naruto remained where they were.

A few minutes later Lee joined them again.

"She'll be a minute." He told them, uncommonly serious and polite.

Maybe he was worried about the impact that this would have on Sakura and the baby. Well, he needn't fear, because Naruto didn't plan on letting anything happen to either of them.

Lee headed for the kitchen, with Neji and Gaara following behind quietly.

Now, it was just Sasuke and Naruto alone.

Sasuke was watching him intently, as a hawk would watch its prey. Naruto wasn't sure if it was meant to unnerve or intimidate him, but he didn't turn away from those eyes. He wasn't afraid of Sasuke, and he never had been.

"Naruto." He said eventually, making him jump in surprise. "How have you been?"

That question was the last thing Naruto expected to hear come out of Sasuke's mouth. When had Sasuke ever cared how he had been? Why would he start now of all times?

"Does it matter?" he asked cautiously.

"Not really." Sasuke replied with a shrug. "Just curious."

_Just wanted to see if my world still revolves around him, if he still affects me the way he used to._

He definitely wasn't about to fall for that trap an d show Sasuke the truth about that. Not now, not ever.

"You're an Anbu Captain, I see." Sasuke continued. "Never thought you'd make it that far, Dobe."

He felt a flash of anger when he heard that old nickname, but he pushed it back quickly. _Don't react…that's what he wants._

"You always did underestimate me Sasuke." He replied simply.

It was as if time, for Sasuke, stood still. Despite the years, and the distance that had been between them, he had still thought Naruto to be the same as he was back them. He still used the same insults, the same expressions when addressing him. It was as if Sasuke was unable to move forward, as if he lived in a place where time stood still. Nothing changed, or mattered. It just stood still

Any further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Sakura, wrapped in a plain yukata and undeniably pregnant. Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise but he didn't say anything.

_At last, a reaction…_

"Sasuke," Sakura greeted him, calmly. _Maturely. "_It's been awhile."

Sasuke seemed to be taken back but this greeting, for it was obviously not what he was expecting. He was probably expecting her to leap at him, and sob her heart out, grateful for his return. Instead, he was met with a mature and dignified woman.

Naruto couldn't help but admire her, and be proud of his almost-sister for handling him so well. She got more of a reaction than he did, that was for sure.

"It has." He agreed slowly, his eyes still taking in her form.

"The baby is lees." She answered his unspoken question. "He's my husband. We married a year ago now."

"I see."

Was he regretting it? Did he want her now that she wasn't available? Now he would have to find someone else to revive his clan with.

Naruto couldn't help but be slightly upset at the notion of Sasuke being in love with Sakura now. But perhaps he was jumping to conclusions.

She looked over a Naruto now, and she smiled.

"Naruto, please take off your mask. You know I hate it." She said quietly.

"Gomen, Sakura," he apologized. He had never figured out why, and he had never bothered to ask. Maybe he would one day, when he didn't have other things on his mind.

He gave her a small smile.

Was Sasuke shocked at how well they were treating each other? At how warm and friendly they were together? If he had stayed, maybe he could have been a part of it. But Hindsight is always perfect and not much use, so he didn't dwell on that particular thought for too long.

Her eyes lingered on his face for a moment before she sat down.

"Please sit you two."

Sasuke sat down next to her and Naruto sat across the room to watch them, and observe them as they conversed.

"Where's Kakashi?" Sasuke asked after a moment.

Naruto almost shivered when he heard his voice. That deep very was so exotic and hinted of such dark secrets and seduction. He was irresistibly drawn towards that beautiful voice, and he found himself quivering inside whenever its music reached his ears.

"He's on a mission." Naruto replied, more abruptly than he'd intended.

Sakura shot him a smile.

"We thought he'd been killed for awhile; he was declared missing in action at the start of the war, but he turned up a few months later." Sakura told him. "He hasn't been home since before the war started though."

"Hn."

They fell into silence. Sakura rubbed her stomach gently, a tender and soft look in her eyes, but he could also see the sadness and an old pain. This was hard for her, he knew, and he wanted to give her time alone with her ex-crush. At the moment though, he didn't trust Sasuke enough to leave him alone with a defenseless Sakura.

"How long until you're due, Sakura?" he asked, more to change the topic than anything else.

"Only a few weeks now, Naru." She said, using a favorite nickname. "We'll have a little boy running around. Hope fully this will be over by then."

_Sasuke can go back to the snake-bastard_ a_nd we can all live happily ever after, _he thought sarcastically.

He only nodded in response though.

"I want you to be there Naruto." She said seriously.

"I can't make any promises, Sakura." He sighed.

She looked upset, and he felt bad. She did not need this kind of stress right now. She had enough things to worry about, so he smiled reassuringly.

"But I'll try."

"Arigato, Naruto."

He had the suspicion that he wouldn't be. Not because he didn't want to be, but because he wanted to be away from this place.

He nodded as he stood up.

"I'll be in the next room if you need me."

He joined them in the kitchen. Lee had made tea and they were all seated at the table in silence. When he entered, Neji handed him a cup of tea, which he accepted before walking over to look out the kitchen window.

He recalled the conversation he's had with Gaara before the war had began.

…_that day he left was the day he killed you…_

That wasn't entirely true, he realized. He'd been dying long before that. Sasuke had merely sealed his fate that day, and now he was back to be a witness to the end.

It couldn't be helped now. Things were moving too fast to change anything, and he had no choice but to go where it took him and hop things turned out for the best.

In the next room, low murmuring reached his ears and told him that they were talking again.

"How are your injuries Lee?" he asked absently, still looking out the window.

"They're healing slowly, Naruto-kun." Lee answered ruefully. "It's my lungs that are the problem. Tsunade says that if I fight just yet I'll be risking permanent damage. They're healing though."

"That's good." He replied, still with his back turned.

Sakura wouldn't lose Lee, and she wouldn't be alone when she gave birth, even if he was gone. She would need him. He was relieved and felt a slight easing of the weight off his chest.

"What are you going to do with Sasuke?" Lee asked slowly.

Naruto sipped his tea, and didn't join them at the table.

"Whatever I'm ordered to, Lee-kun."

"Ah." He could tell that Lee wasn't satisfied with that answer, but what was he supposed to say? It was the truth, and he could give no more than that at this point.

They fell into silence again, and it hit him how uncomfortable the atmosphere was around him. It had gained an uneasy tension ever since he had walked in, and it saddened him that they felt this way.

_Perhaps he was truly alone._

He turned abruptly.

"Lee-kun, I need to use your bathroom."

"Of course, Naruto. Go ahead."

He nodded and left, trying to ignore the tightness in currently residing in his throat. As he shut the door behind him, he heard voices begin again in the kitchen and wished once more that things could be different.

A moment later, he mentally berated himself for making such a foolish wish. Nothing changed by making wishes; they didn't come true and they only reminded him of how things could be if he wasn't such a screw-up.

After he splashed cold water on his face and washed his hands, he stared into the mirror sadly. He reached out and touched the cold mirror before him. Everything seemed dull today. His hair, his eyes, his skin. Was this worn and defeated creature the thing that Sasuke saw whenever he looked at him? How pathetic…

Or maybe it was just him being self-centered again. No matter what he did, or told himself, he couldn't seem to shake this depression. He let his hand fall from the mirror and wondered what any one else would do in his position.

Sasuke would go on as if nothing was different, as if nothing had changed. Sakura would be upset for a while. Maybe she would shed a few tears and scream for a bit, then she would move on. Perhaps she had been the strongest of them all. She hadn't given up like Sasuke had, and been lured away by empty promises of power and revenge.

She hadn't become like he had, and given up hope of building a future for herself. She had moved on and made her own life. Sakura was indeed a strong woman.

He was stuck in endless cycles of emptiness, anger and depression, which he could never seem to free himself from.

A nock sounded on the door.

"May I come in?" Gaara's soft voice come through the door.

"Yeah."

Gaara teleported in using his sand and leant against the door.

"It was unlocked." Naruto told him.

Gaara merely shrugged.

"I may have said too much earlier." Gaara stated. "I was…frustrated."

"No you didn't. You said what was important." Naruto turned the tap off and reached for the hand towel to dry his face and hands on.

"I didn't think you would take it so badly."

"I didn't Gaara. You were right." He paused to swallow around the lump in his throat.

"Neji told me off. Said you didn't deserve what I said." Gaara continued as if Naruto hadn't spoken. "And you didn't."

"He did, did he?"

"He cares a lot for you. Any one can see that." Gaara murmured.

"He cares a lot for you too." Naruto said hollowly, and saw Gaara's eyes widen in the mirror.

"Its true. You should tell him how you feel too." Naruto said quietly. "He'd appreciate it."

"How did you know?"

It was one of the rare times that Naruto got to see Gaara shocked, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he met Gaara's eyes in the mirror.

"I could always see it between you two."

Gaara said nothing for a long moment, he only studied Naruto's face before giving a small bow.

"Gomen, Naruto." He whispered, before disappearing in a rush of sand.

After a moment, he crossed the room and locked the door, before sliding down against the bath, tears running down his face.

_He shouldn't be this empty…_

He was happy for Gaara and Neji. They would be able to make each other happy at last, and they could live knowing that they were not as alone as both had once thought.

_If only he could feel the same way…_

For the second time that day, he gave himself up to his tears and surrendered his pride for the second time in years.

Neji watched as Gaara came back into the room, his expression distant and thoughtful.

"Well?" he asked softly. "What did he say?"

Gaara's eyes flickered briefly towards him before they turned back to staring out the window.

"He denied everything of course. He always does." Came Gaara's quiet whisper.

Neji sighed and rubbed his forehead with one hand, feeling a headache approaching. This whole situation was becoming a problem. The Sasuke situation wasn't helping either.

Naruto had moved like he was in some kind of dream this afternoon. It was as if he was unaware of his surroundings- he'd lost himself inside his own mind again.

Naruto's depression was scaring Neji. He'd become reckless and showed little concern for his own healt. Sleep still wasn't granting him any peace either. Every time Neji saw him, it was as if a little more of him had faded away. Naruto was slipping away from him. Soon he'd be gone forever.

Neji's heart ached painfully when he thought this. He didn't want to lose Naruto- they were best friends, and practically brothers. This war was taking so much from everyone- it was sucking the life and light out of everyone and everything, but perhaps Naruto the most of all.

Sasuke definitely made things worse. Neji hated the traitorous bastard for the pain he had caused Naruto, but if anyone could save him it would be Sasuke. If he could be bothered to care, which he obviously didn't. He only made things more complicated for everyone, and he ranted silently at Tsunade for putting them together.

Pain flooded Neji as the seal throbbed painfully. The headache was now pounding at the back of his skull mercilessly and he leaned his head on the cool wooden surface of the table.

"You okay?" Lee asked softly. "I heard about what happened. Is it bad?"

"I'm okay, Lee. I decided to do this by myself, and I'll put up with it." He hesitated for a moment before his headache decided for him. "Got anything for headaches?"

"In the bathroom cabinet."

Neji stood up. "I'll be back."

Grateful for a chance to check on Naruto he headed towards the bathroom. The door was locked; no problem. He teleported himself in.

Naruto was seated on the floor leaning against the bath tub. His blue eyes were empty, and staring off into space. A glass of water was clutched in one hand. There were no tear traces, but his slightly red eyes gave him away. There were no tears, but there was such misery and loneliness in that vulpine little face.

His headache was forgotten. He sat down next to the silent man and touched his arm gently.

"Hey."

Naruto roused a little, and turned his head towards him slightly.

"Neji…"

"Hai. I'm here Naruto." He slid an arm around his friend and pulled Naruto to his side, settling his blonde head against his shoulder. Naruto didn't resist at all, and his deep blue eyes were still distant.

"Neji?"

"Hmmm?"

"I want to apologize." Naruto said slowly, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

"What for?" Neji asked, puzzled.

"For this afternoon. And for being such a weak Captain." Was the unexpected reply. "I never meant…I try not to be so dependent on you but...sometimes….i just can't…seem to be able to stand by myself."

"Nor do you have to Naruto." Neji said forcefully. "Don't ever think that way. You can lean on me as much as you want."

"Arigato Neji."

Neji knew that Naruto didn't really hear his reply. He was too busy trapped in his patterns of thinking. He was acting very calm and collected, and that was what was scaring Neji.

"Naruto, listen to me. Are you listening?"

"Hai, Neji." Naruto roused a little more and blinked several times.

"I've always thought of you as the strongest person I know." Neji told him, smoothing the silken blond locks. "No matter how tough or hard things got for you, you always manage to carry on. I've always admired your courage. I could never go on as you have."

Naruto said nothing for a moment, and Neji wondered if he'd heard.

"Neji…I don't think I can do this for much longer. I don't think I can anymore."

Neji pulled Naruto closer, and felt Naruto's arms slid around him and return the hug. He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly.

"Don't you give up on me, Naruto." He managed. "Just for a little longer. Hold on for a little longer…"

Naruto tucked his head under Neji's chin.

"Gomen, Neji." He whispered in a small voice. "But I don't think I can."

A stray tear slipped down Neji's cheek and fell into those sun-kissed blonde locks.

* * *

Oh i was litening to sad music when i wrote this and i was almost crying! But who cares! i can picture this in my mind so clearly! I hope it wasn't too confusing for you all!  
My wrists are killing after writing that! This chapter is my longest yet, I think. Ten pages! BOO YEAH! Sorry…I've been saying that a lot lately. But ANYWAY, I know I said that there would be Neji/Gaara loving in this chapter, but I had to cut it short. It was too long 

hides please don't kill me! I PROMISE that it will be in the next chapter! Scouts honor!

I don't know why I'm so excited! I'm two days away from my final exams, and I'm HAPPY! Isn't that strange? oh well!

But thanks for reading guys, and I look forward to reviews! (getting any hints here peoples? Eh? Eh?)

Until next time! Wooo!


	19. If Anyone Falls

For those of you who are wondering, I'm changing the format of my chapters! So now the authors notes and review replies are going to be at the end of each chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto doesn't belong to me, and the song lyrics are from Tears and Rain by James Blunt. (Good Song by the way!)

**Warnings: ** Very mild sexual content, confrontations (yesh!) and a little angst! In fact, I quite like how this chapter turned out! All my chapters are un-betad so forgive any errors! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: _If Anyone Falls_

_How I wish I could surrender my soul_

_Shed the clothes that become my skin_

_See the liar that burns within my needing_

_How I wish I had chosen darkness from cold_

_How I wish I had screamed out loud_

_Instead I found no meaning._

They spent the night at Neji's small residence in the Hyuuga compound. Outside, it was completely silent. The village was completely deserted. No dogs barked, no children cried and there was no drunken or merry laughter from the streets. Just a heavy, all consuming silence which could cut into the soul of even the strongest man and chill him to the bone. Only a select few remained in their houses, and that wouldn't be for much longer. Sakura and Lee were only one example.

Neji couldn't sleep. A strange melancholy had claimed him after his conversation with Naruto. His friend and leader had hardly said two words all evening. Sasuke and Gaara were just as silent and as distant as they usually were. All in all, it had made for a somber and rather depressing atmosphere. It wasn't suprising that they had all retired to their rooms early. Neji was uneasy for many reasons. Although he was glad that Sasuke hadn't been forced to share a room with Naruto, he had been placed next door to him on Naruto's request. It didn't sit well with Neji even though he knew it was a necessary precaution. By his reckoning, if Sasuke wanted to leave he would, and nothing would be able to stop him. Naruto had disputed him on this. The bond that Tsunade had forged between then allowed Naruto to know exactly where Sasuke was when he wanted to , and not only this, but he could also control the amount of chakra the man had at his disposal.

Just another thing for Neji to worry about. For Sasuke, such a disability would not please him and it was a matter of time before he snapped.

Neji sighed and rolled onto his back. Bright moonlight spilled through the window and into his room, but the sight brought no sense of wonder to him as it usually did. It had been a gloomy evening, and he felt completely isolated and alone. Who was going to help him sort out this mess he was in?

He'd never seen Naruto look like that before, and he was scared shitless, afraid of what would happen to him. He wouldn't commit suicide, would he? As much as he wanted to turn his back on that notion and dismiss it, he knew he couldn't. It was a very real possibility and no matter how strong his fears and doubts, he knew that if that was what Naruto wanted, there would be no stopping him. He was a very determined and stubborn person when he wanted to be, and nothing he could say would be able to stop him once he had made up his mind about something.

Common sense was telling him that he wouldn't. Not yet anyway. He was still needed here, and as long as he had duties, he would not do anything so drastic.

But he knew the time would come when he would face such a reality and he dreaded that. He knew that when the time came, when death called him, he wouldn't fight. If during the coming days of fighting, something was to happen and he was facing death, he knew that Naruto would not struggle to stay alive. That was what was scaring Neji. That and the fact that he might not be there to prevent that from happening.

Perhaps Naruto was just too different from other people. He had never seen things in the same way that everyone else had, and although this was often a good trait as a leader, it could also be a potential disaster.

Neji's thoughts were interrupted by a quiet sound outside, and he sat up quickly as his door opened. Moonlight illuminated wild red hair and he relaxed slightly, relieved that it wasn't an enemy. A moment later, he tensed again.

_Wait. Why was Gaara in his room?_

The sand nin was making his way towards his bed.

"Gaara?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"

His heart was pounding a million miles a minute and his breath quickened in his throat. _Please, don't come any closer…_

His silent pleas went unheard for Gaara knelt on the bed and came slowly towards his, a predatory and hungry look in his eyes.

"Gaara?" Neji asked again breathlessly, his eyes caught on the enticing figure approaching him.

"I wanted to see you." Gaara murmured eventually.

He took a hold of Neji's shoulders and straddled his lap as his lips hovered, impossibly close. Warm, sweet breath ghosted over Neji's skin and he shivered.

"Why?" Neji managed to gasp.

"Isn't it obvious?" came the husky whisper.

This was what he wanted, what he had been craving ever since he had first laid eyes on the red head, months before.

With a deep groan, he swiftly claimed those willing lips and made them his own.

Naruto lay awake (as usual). Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Sasuke was in the next room. There were so many things that he wanted to say to the stoic man, but even if he got the chance, he wouldn't know where to start. He wanted to scream and rant and sob until all the pain and hurt was gone.

But right now what he wanted was to forget about him and sleep.

Of course, that was unlikely to happen. He sat up and kicked away the annoying blankets.

Tension and anticipation were making him restless and he needed some way to vent his pent ip emotions. He was tired of talking, of facing people who never really want to see what was going on. He was sick of people looking away whenever he was near. Normal people would not care what others thought. They would scoff at what people said and laugh at those that scorned.

Naruto had been like that, back when everything was relatively normal. Back when the truths of life hadn't been an issue for him. Thos facts had come and given him a harsh lesson. They had proved that they couldn't be ignored forever.

The truth was that people were cruel to one another. They betrayed people they loved and who loved them only to further their own greedy needs. Sometimes there was no healing for the wounds that other created and sometimes there was no enlightenment for those with scars. People were cruel to one another and that was it. Life, to put it plainly, sucked.

Sasuke was the embodiment of everything he'd always hated and feared. Now he was back to haunt him.

What was worse was the war. His village was under threat and he was faced with another problem.

Did he sort out Sasuke before he became another problem to deal with? Did he tell Sasuke what he thought and how he really felt? Or did he ignore Sasuke and focus on protecting his people?

Naruto had never had a problem prioritizing his duties before, but this decision was harder than most. This decision was one that tore at his heart and his conscience.

The answer to this dilemma was obvious. It was screaming in his face and demanding to be acknowledged.

But _Sasuke _was nagging at him too. He couldn't ignore him, because he knew that it would only make things worse. Sasuke was a distraction that he needed to sort out.

But the question was how?

_Both personal problems. How do I choose between them?_

To top it all off, he couldn't sleep. He _needed _sleep damn it! Maybe he could get Gaara to perform that jutsu on him again. No, it was too risky. He would be unable to defend himself if….

"Dobe."

Naruto jumped as that voice startled him out of his thinking.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked coldly as Sasuke approached the end of his bed.

_When had he come in?_

"You've changed." Sasuke said simply, and Naruto frowned in confusion. That didn't sound like something Sasuke would say.

"And you haven't. What's your point?"

"I didn't expect you to be so…different."

"Things change Sasuke. _People _change. Now if you don't mind I'm trying to sleep."

"It's not working though is it?"

"That's not your concern, Sasuke. Please leave."

Sasuke didn't say anything. Nor did he move. Naruto felt the bite of irritation and strived to remain calm.

"Sasuke." He said with an inward sigh. "What do you really want?"

"I want you to show me how strong you've become."

"What?"

"I want you to fight me."

There was a moment of dumbfounded silence. Naruto swore he could hear a cricket chirping somewhere and would have laughed had the situation not been so serious.

"What?" he asked, not believing what he had heard.

"I won't say it again."

Naruto closed his eyes in frustration. Trust him to be so….difficult. Just like he had been when they were kids. Except, this Sasuke was different. There was a sinister air about him, one that spoke of darkness and a strange, twisted pain. As if it were muted somehow. Forgotten by him, but obvious to Naruto.

"No."

"What?"

"I said no. I have no wish to fight you Sasuke." Naruto said, standing up. He was glad that he had decided not to sleep naked tonight. That would be too embarrassing. Too difficult to handle right now.

He was angry. Even as he had refused Sasuke's request, not one trace of surprise or _any _emotion was visible on his face.

"In a few days time the Akatsuki will be here. You'll need all the energy you can get. I suggest you get some rest." Naruto told him as he walked over to the window

"Are you afraid of me, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, standing right behind him now. He was so close that Naruto could feel his body heat rolling off him. He was too close.

"No." Naruto replied instantly. "I have never been afraid of you Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes were roaming over his face, and it was all Naruto could do not to shiver at the intensity of that dark gaze.

"Sakura told me…about you." Sasuke murmured his eyes still emotionless…_dead eyes they were._

"Really?" Naruto asked, not really caring what Sakura had said, or what Sasuke thought.

He just wanted Sasuke to get out of his room, to leave him alone.

"She's worried about you. It is obvious that you are unwell."

Naruto gave a harsh laugh. "Don't tell me you actually care about that?"

Sasuke was watching him again and he met his gaze evenly, without flinching. His own eyes were just as cold and as distant as his ex-rivals.

"Please leave. Now isn't the time for this."

"When?"

"After they come. If you stick around, but that's doubtful isn't it? Go. Now."

Sasuke made no effort to reply to have taunt. Instead, he lifted his hand and ghosted his fingers over Naruto's cheek, causing a flash of heat to speed through his body. Naruto's breath stopped and his eyes widened.

"You say you're not afraid of me," Sasuke whispered "but you tense every time I speak, and you move away whenever I am near."

Naruto forced himself not to step backwards.

_He wasn't afraid of Sasuke. It was just that when Sasuke touched him, all he could feel was desire coursing through his body. He felt like he was going to breakdown and cry in front of Sasuke, and that was the last thing he wanted- to show this weakness of his to the one he loved._

He opened his mouth to answer, but he was already gone, leaving his addictive scent as the only indication that he had ever been there.

Naruto closed his eyes against the bite of pain.

_He wouldn't cry…not anymore._

It was a waste of tears. Naruto lifted his hands and watched them tremble before his eyes. Why did Sasuke affect him like this? He made Naruto so emotional- angry and defensive one minute and hurt and lonely the next. Afterwards he felt so drained and tired, unable to do more than sit there numbly.

He turned back to look out the window once more. It was almost a full moon, and its light bathed the village with its glow. Once upon a time, he would have found the sight beautiful, but now…all he was reminded of was the fact that this may be the last time he saw such a sight.

There was no use brooding the night away. He needed to find something to do. Something constructive that would keep his mind busy and away from other…darker matters.

He froze when he heard a faint cry, then relaxed and smiled slightly. It seemed that Gaara and Neji had taken their relationship to the next level. Naruto hadn't been oblivious to the heated glances, the not-so-accidental touches and the palpable tension that existed between the two. This also meant that the nights wouldn't be so quiet anymore.

With another sigh, Naruto pulled out several scrolls he'd been reading lately. No time like present to catch up on some much needed research. Besides, he had reports that needed reading, and there would be not time during the day to do so. It was a logical way to spend sleepless nights.

Naruto was till awake and reading when dawn arrived the next morning. He'd been unable to tear himself away from the fascinating scrolls which were now scattered around him on the bed. A notebook was resting on his lap, and he alternated between scribbling furiously in it and scrutinizing the writing on the scrolls. Some of them were rather old, and the writing had begun to fade which made them hard to read. But Naruto had been patiently and meticulously deciphering the fade words. His research was important; he was currently devising new jutsus and techniques which he would need in the near future. He needed to be prepared in case the Akatsuki ever got him cornered and he was forced to fight his way out.

There was a quiet knock on his door as he chewed the end of his pen absently.

"It's open."

The door opened and a bare-chested Neji entered, carrying a cup of tea that he placed on the small bedside table.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his pale eyes taking in the mess strewn over the bed.

"Researching." Naruto replied as he scribbled a few more words in the notebook.

"Have you been up all night?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Neji sat on the edge of the bed and picked up a scroll. After a few moments, his eyes widened in shock.

"Naruto, this is…"

"I know. Tsunade gave me permission months ago." Naruto finally looked up and looked Neji over.

The pale-skinned man sported numerous angry red bite and scratch marks, scattered over the expanse of his torso.

"You look like you had an….interesting night." Naruto commented, with the hint of a smile.

A faint pink blush appeared over Neji's cheekbones and he ran a hand through his somewhat mussed hair.

"Ah…."

"You don't have to explain. I heard enough last night." Naruto teased his friend with a small grin.

Neji reddened further.

"Shit!" he cursed under his breath.

Naruto decided to be nice and returned to what he had been doing, aware that Neji was watching him.

"Do…do you mind?" Neji asked slowly. "I know technically I'm still on duty, but…"

"Neji." Naruto looked up and met his eyes. "It's fine. I'm happy for you and Gaara."

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable…"

"I said it was fine didn't I? If it gets too much I'll find somewhere quiet to work." He said, not unkindly.

There was a few minutes silence and Naruto waited for the inevitable question that he knew was coming.

"You didn't get any sleep last night did you?"

Naruto hesitated. He didn't feel like explaining his strange conversation with Sasuke just yet. There was still so much he had to figure out about it, and he didn't want Neji to blow up at Sasuke just yet.

"No. I didn't." He replied carefully. "I wanted to make sure Sasuke didn't do anything."

"How do you feel about him being back?"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair- a habit, which he couldn't seem to shake.

"Truth?"

"Preferably."

"I don't know how to feel. Sometimes I'm so angry and furious with him that I feel like I'm going to lose control and attack him."

"And the rest of the time?"

"The rest of the time I…" he looked away. " I don't know. I just feel…empty. Hurt still. Its been seven years, and I still feel this way. It still…"

Naruto stopped suddenly, and realized that he'd been doing exactly what he'd sworn he wouldn't do anymore; whine, complain and be a burden on those around him.

"Never mind." He finished.

Neji looked confused at this sudden change, and looked as if he was about to say something, but Naruto got in before he could.

"We need to report in to Tsunade." He said as he got off the bed and started to slear up. "Wake Sasuke and Gaara up. I'm having a shower. Get breakfast and be ready to leave in twenty minutes."

A slightly baffled Neji stood up and bowed slightly.

"Hai."

When he had gone, Naruto quickly hopped into a cold shower and cleaned himself. A few minutes later, a shivering Naruto was dressed in a clean uniform. He pulled his armor on and picked up his mask.

In the kitchen, he found a slightly irritated Gaara and Neji finishing breakfast.

"Where's Sasuke?" he asked as he quickly finished the rest of his tea and ate an energy bar.

"Still in his room I believe."

Annoyed, Naruto made his way to Sasuke's room, rapped twice on the closed door and entered without waiting for a reply.

"Sasuke. It's time to go." He said sharply.

Sasuke opened those midnight eyes and Naruto almost swallowed as he felt his body quicken with desire. Every time he saw Sasuke his sheer beauty seemed to leap out at him and seize him by the throat.

He'd been meditating it seemed, sitting crossed legged underneath the open window.

"Hurry up Sasuke. We need to be gone," he snapped.

Sasuke gave no response as he stood up. The man towered over Naruto as he looked down at him. Naruto hadn't realized how tall Sasuke was until that moment.

"Dobe…"

"Urasai, Sasuke." Naruto said, his eyes narrowed. "From now on, you will not call me that, or any other stupid nickname. You have been placed under my command and you will act accordingly."

Sasuke was watching him intently as he said this, and some small part of Naruto wondered why Sasuke was always doing that – always watching him, as if to see how he would react to something. It was starting to irritate him.

"That means that you will call me either Captain or Naruto. Have you got that?"

Sasuke smirked slightly and stepped closer. Naruto didn't falter, or move away. He wouldn't be intimidated by Sasuke, because he knew that he was testing him, measuring his resolve. He wouldn't back down. Not this time.

"Whatever you say…Naruto."

Naruto's breath caught sharply in his throat when Sasuke said his name like that. So deep….so…smooth.

_Almost as if…he's trying to…seduce me…_

He scoffed at this thought and pushed it away. Sasuke wouldn't even try to seduce a woman, let alone him.

"Good." He murmured. "Come. The others are waiting."

He led the way to the kitchen where Neji and Gaara were. Gaara was in Neji's arms when they entered, but he moved away slowly when they entered.

"Neji."

"Hai, Captain. Tsunade-sama sent word to us. We're to aid in the final steps of the evacuation process today. She has no pressing missions for us today." He reported.

"No missions? What does that mean?" Naruto frowned.

"She said everyone was busy and that all necessary matters are being taken care of as we speak." Neji paused. "I think she wants us to rest a bit for today. We'll have our work cut out for us soon enough."

"Why aren't you and your team out on missions?" Sasuke asked after listening to all of this. His arms were folded as he leaned against the wall and watched.

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but Neji beat him to it.

"You're supposed to be a genius, you figure it out." Neji said coldly, hostility evident in his stance.

"And what, pray tell, am I supposed to be figuring out, Hyuuga?" Sasuke straightened as he recognized the challenge Neji was sending.

Gaara, who was standing slightly behind Neji was watching all this silently. It was obvious he would leap to Neji's defense immediately if it came to that.

"The Akatsuki started this war." Neji spat. "What and who do you think they're after, Uchiha?"

Naruto was getting annoyed and getting there very quickly. He had enough to deal with and he definitely didn't need to be breaking up petty fights as well.

"That's enough. Neji, cut it out. And Sasuke…"

He turned to face him and glared. "Don't interfere with dealings between me and my lieutenant. Am I understood?"

That slight smirk was on Sasuke's face once more, and it pissed Naruto off immensely. He probably knew it too.

"Neji, Gaara. I want you to head over to the academy and see if they need any more help there. If you can, find Iruka. He can probably give you something to do. If not, come and find me. I'll be with the hokage."

Neji didn't seem to like this, and it showed clearly on his face as he struggle to make a decision.

"But Naruto…we're not supposed to…"

"Leave my side, I know." He waved it off. "Don't worry about me, Neji. I'll be fine."

Neji didn't seem satisfied with his reassurances, but he knew he'd been given an order, so he settled for glaring at Sasuke instead.

"If you do anything…" he began.

Sasuke raised an elegant eyebrow but didn't respond to the threat.

"Go, Neji. We'll talk later."

Gaara followed him out the door, shooting one last glance over his shoulder towards Naruto before they disappeared.

"Do all your subordinates argue like that?"

"No. Just Neji."

"I'm surprised you let him." Sasuke said, as if he was dismissing Naruto as a bad leader.

"How I treat and address my men is none of your concern, Uchiha." He replied, not rising to the bait.

He wanted to. Oh how he wanted to. No one irritated Naruto as much as Sasuke did. Even if others did exactly what Sasuke did, or acted as he did, he wouldn't even bother to pay attention to the. But with Sasuke it was different. Everything he did seemed to be aimed at irritating or testing Naruto and it never failed to make him crazy with frustration. The fact that he even dared to do so after what he had done seven years ago only fuelled his anger further.

"Oh but it is." Came to quit answer. Directly behind him this time.

"Because as you said earlier, I am under your command."

Naruto tensed, and his heartbeat increased as he stiffened.

_This was too much like his nightmares…too similar…_

After a moment, he let a cool, calculating mask fall over his face. Masks were his specialty of course; he'd had his whole life to perfect the art of deception and he employed this skill now as he turned to face Sasuke again.

"That's right. You are and you'll do well to remember it. Now come on. We have a report to make to Tsunade."

"Of course, " Sasuke agreed, his voice almost a silky purr.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he silently imagined the various forms of torture he could subject Sasuke to. The man had no sense of decency and he certainly had no conscience. It was rather clear to Naruto that Sasuke didn't regret his past actions, and that he did not care at all about his betrayal.

Sasuke had never cared for him, not even when they'd been team mates.

These realizations hurt; he physically ached when he thought about it. For years, he'd hung onto the hope that maybe, just maybe he regretted what he'd done, and he would make things right. An apology wouldn't make everything better, but it would've been a start. Any possibility of an apology had been blown away; it had probably never existed in the first place.

He'd been hanging onto false hopes.

He felt slightly nauseous as they sped over the rooftops. What a waste of years and energy. He'd been waiting endlessly for Sasuke's return, and had hoped that they could come to some sort of reconciliation between them. He was so stupid. So incredibly stupid and foolish to believe such a thing. Sasuke never had been, and would never be the type to care about such fickle things as friendship and loyalty.

Closing his eyes for a moment to regain some of his composture, he took a deep breath to calm himself and refocused on his task. Find Tsunade.

After a moment of searching with his chakra he felt her presence at the hokage mountain and adjusted his course slightly. Sasuke was easily keeping pace beside him, a cool dark blur at his side.

It was a strange morning. The sun was shining but it provided no warmth. Dark clouds were littered across the sky and a chilling wind blew in short, sharp gusts.

He landed lightly before the mountain. There was a surprising amount of konha's nin around and everyone was rushing around on some job or another. Medic nin were also visible, and even the odd villager. Tsunade herself was standing in the midst of the frenzied activity with Jiraiya, the village advisors, Kiba , Shikamaru and Hinata at her side.

"I want you to watch your mouth," he muttered to Sasuke as they approached the group. "Don't talk unless someone asks you a question. Do not start arguments and don't provoke anyone. Do you understand?"

"Of course I do Naruto. You've already made it perfectly clear." Sasuke replied with a hint of an impatient growl in his voice. "You hardly need to keep reminding me."

"I wouldn't want you to forget." Naruto snapped quietly back, peeved.

He could feel the group look up as they approached. Kiba visibly tensed, his anger evident in his clenched fists. Beside him, Akamaru was growling. Shikamaru's expression didn't change from his normal look of boredom, but Naruto could tell that behind that expression, he was very much alert. Hinata straightened, but showed no sign of anger or resentment. Kiba moved in front of his fiancé, ready to defend her if need be. Tsunade had narrowed her eyes, but at Naruto rather than Sasuke.

"Where's Neji and Gaara?" she asked.

Naruto sighed mentally and prepared himself for a verbal battle with her even as he bowed slightly as they joined them.

"I sent them to see if Iruka needed anything done."

A fierce gust of wind tugged at their clothing and hair. Naruto was glad he had chosen to leave his Anbu cloak behind today.

Tsunade sighed as he pushed his mask up. "I intended for you to rest today. The next few days will be very taxing for you."

Naruto frowned. "I don't need to rest, what I need is missions. Neji and Gaara need something to do. They can't sit around all day."

"Brat, we're doing all that can be done. There is nothing you can do." Jiraiya put in.

"Then give us a mission!" Naruto snapped, his temper breaking momentarily.

Damned Sasuke! He had always managed to bring out the worst of Naruto's temoer.

"I won't do that!" Tsunade snapped back. "It's not safe for you or Gaara."

"I agree." Kiba put in, glaring hotly at the bored looking Sasuke. "I wouldn't trust Sasuke not to betray us again."

"Kiba…" Hinata murmured, trying to calm him down with little success.

"You never know what he could do." Kiba continued.

"Kiba, leave it alone. Sasuke isn't a problem at the moment." Tsunade sighed. "We've put restraints on him. He can't do anything."

Through their link, Naruto could feel a flare of chakra. It took nothing out of Naruto to control his chakra flow. The jutsu that Tsunade had used could be likened to a tap. He could adjust the flow according to his wishes; he could let it go at full blast or cut it back to the smallest trickle, just enough to keep him alive.

When he felt this sudden flare, he tightened his hold over the chakra. Sasuke, in turn, scowled slightly in his direction and shifted his weight to his other foot.

"Speaking of which…" Tsunade turned to Naruto. "How is it? Everything okay?"

"No problems. Everything is under control." He replied with a sharp glance at Sasuke.

She nodded as she regarded him thoughtfully.

Naruto recognized that Neji and Gaara were heading their way as Tsunade turned her attention to Kiba.

"You just got back from the western border, correct?"

"Hai. Our defenses in that area are weaker than everywhere else. It will pose a problem soon."

"I'll see what I can do about assigning extra personnel over there, but there's not much I can do at the moment. We're stretched thin."

"Orochimaru's men moved in the other day." Kiba said, shooting another dark glare at Sasuke. "They're keeping the border between our forces and them. It seems they're abiding by the terms of the treaty. For now."

Naruto had been watching for a reaction from Sasuke when Orochimaru's name had been brought up. When he saw none, he was slightly miffed, but he shook it off after a moment. Sasuke was an expert at hiding his reactions, as he knew only too well.

"If they're going to attach, they won't do it yet. The Akatsuki are still a threat. They'll wait for awhile yet." Shikamaru finally spoke up.

"We have a source of information at our disposal." Kiba replied, eying Sasuke.

"No. If we do anything to Sasuke then Neji will die." Naruto said sharply. "You will not interrogate him while he is under my command."

"Pity." A new voice cut in.

Gaara and Neji joined them, with Neji coming to stand at Naruto's side.

"I bring news Hokage-sama."

A raised eyebrow indicated that he should go on.

"The hospital had run short of morphine, bandages and spare blood. They do not think we'll have enough for those that will be injured during the invasion."

Tsunade sighed and ran a hand over her face.

"Your orders, Hokage-sama?" Hinata asked quietly.

The Gondaime tilted her head back to look at the darkening sky as she thought her next course of action out. Everyone was quietly awaiting her orders.

"Jiraiya!" she snapped suddenly, startling everyone.

"What?" he asked, annoyed.

"Don't you what me! I want you to get those damned villagers down below. I don't care if they want to help; we don't need them getting underfoot." She turned to the advisors. "That means you too."

"Of course Hokage-sama."

They bowed before leaving and Tsunade turned to Jiraiya, he foot tapping rapidly and her arms crossed.

"Well?"

"Hai, Hai, I'm going! Quit hassling me: he muttered as he left, bellowing orders and effectively sending the villagers scrambling for the caves.

Tsunade turned back to face them.

"Kiba. I want you to find me those assignment sheets Shizune drew up the other day. We're going to have to make some changes. Hinata I want you at the hospital. Tell them to go down to the caves and get blood from the villagers. If anyone refuses, tell the medics they have my full authority to go ahead. Anything that can be used as bandages, use them. Understood?"

Kiba and Hinata bowed. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

The teleported away, and left Tsunade with Shikamaru and Naruto's small group.

"Shikamaru, you still need to brief me on the state of the walls. And you four." She turned to them finally. "I want you down in the caves."

"Say what?" Naruto asked, disbelievingly.

"Naruto, this is an order, not a request! There are reports from our spy network that I want you to go over. They may contain very important information. And I want you in a safe place. You are to go there and _stay _there!"

Naruto struggled internally for a moment and debated whether or not to dispute her over her orders. Neji nudged his side and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"You _know_ this is more important than almost any other job. It's for the bets."

Naruto almost growled. He was growing tired of hearing everyone say that. It was beginning to grate on his nerves and test his patience.

"Fine." He reluctantly agreed. "What would you have me do with the Uchiha? I'm sure you don't want him reading classified material."

"I'm sure you'll think of something. Now get moving!"

He really did growl this time, but he turned and stalked towards the caves, with the others following silently in his wake.

* * *

Oh my god, CRAMP! Eleven pages, typed non-stop and my hands are killing me! I decided to write an extra long chapter to make up for the long wait, so I hope you enjoyed! It wasn't too boring, was it? Well, we're making some progress with the story line aren't we?

But anyways, sorry I didn't go into explicit details with Neji and Gaara. I don't feel up to writing a lemon, and I'm not very good at it besides, so I thought I'd skip it. Gah! You'd probably end up dying from laughing fits anyway.

Thanks to all those who reviewed last time! I LOVE YOU ALL! Lots of reviews this time, so I won't reply personally to every one. I'M SORRY! I STILL LOVE YOU ALL!

**Thanks to:**

**Spikemyangel, Shadoweclipse, Animecutie101, DrkvsLight, Cheerful-Pinkstar, RubyMoon17, Kicki, Kisu, Momochi Zabuza, Cyndi 1, AngieSash, Trekiael, jgal87, Shinigami Akumu, Falcon-Jade-Darkness, Sasuchimaru, Crimson Koibito.**

Well that's all for now! Thanks for reading, and watch out for updates to my other stories as well, cause I'm updating a lot this week!

Thank you!


	20. Shades Of Grey

**Disclaimer: **The characters and the world of Naruto don't belong to me. The song is Shame by Matchbox 20

**Warning: **Angst, more confrontation and boredom. Poor Naruto's got it tough…

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: _Shades of Grey  
_

_What we learned here is that love tastes bitter when it's gone_

_Past yourself, forget the light, things look dirty when it's on_

_Funny how it comes to pass that all the good slips_

_And there's no one around you that you can remember being good to you_

Naruto followed as Neji led the way through the dimly lit corridors, cut deep into Hokage mountain. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the strange silence that reigned, and Naruto thought that the place was like a whole other world. It reminded him strongly of the watery corridors he walked whenever he faced the kyuubi.

"Have these caves always been here?" Gaara's voice broke the eerie quiet as they moved.

"Yes. We use them in all kinds of emergencies." Neji told him softly.

"This was where the people came when sand attacked." Gaara stated in that neutral voice of his.

Naruto glanced at him; he'd always slightly envied the man's ability to appear unaffected by what went on around him. Sasuke had it too, but it was a different kind- Sasuke didn't care, but Naruto knew that Gaara did. Or he did now. He never used to, but that was beside the point. He returned to listening to the conversation.

Neji seemed to be rather taken back by Gaara's blunt statement, but he recovered quickly.

"Yeah, it is." He paused momentarily. "All the academy kids are taught evacuation drills from the moment they first start classes.

Naruto smiled in the darkness; he remembered those days fondly. He'd always tried to escape those dull drills with Chouji, Kiba and Shikamaru, but nothing ever escaped Iruka's sharp eyes, especially not a bunch of giggling kids. They'd always been sharply reprimanded, but that never deterred them from trying.

He could still hear the faint sounds of their laughter ringing in his ears, and tinging his memories with a nostalgic glow. Those were the days when he had fought to prove his worth to himself and to his peers. Back then he'd been lonely, and sad. His days had been filled with hardships and the torment of being faced with things he'd never had.

But now, those memories had taken on a new light, and he had gained a better understanding of the world since then. The memories of his childhood had taken on a strange sense of freedom. He'd been free to map his future then, he could decide how he lived and how he fought his invisible demons. He didn't have those freedoms so much now, but he wanted it. Almost enough to make him fight his hardest for them.

He sighed. There was no use pondering those things now. He had things he needed to do, before he could allow himself the liberty to do so.

Sasuke was following slightly behind them. Naruto could feel his presence resonating cold disinterest, and he couldn't help but wonder if he really was as disinterested as he pretended he was. Maybe it was a front, a defence he erected to keep his pain at bay? The feeling of not knowing what was really going on behind those walls was a constant source of torture for Naruto. Even after all these years he was still trying to get behind those sturdy barriers to see the real person behind them. Part of him was telling him that it was a hopeless case, and that he should give up on him, but the another part of him was telling him to keep trying, because no one could hold out against such pressure forever, could they?

The noise of quiet voices floated through the darkness. Neji led them further into mountain; up ahead, he could see bright light spilling from one of the biggest rooms of the compound.

The place was crowded with people- mainly village citizens, and a few shinobi scattered here and there. Many were sitting in family groups or with friends. Sleeping places were being arranged, children quieted and kept entertained. Snatches of worried conversations reach Naruto as they moved slowly and carefully through the crowd, ignoring the gazes and whisperings of the people they passed. Chuunin and genin were hard at work, and no one bothered them as they headed towards a slightly smaller cave adjoined to the main one.

Naruto frowned; they'd have to set up some sort of guard here. They couldn't just let people wander in and out without being stopped and questioned.

"This is where a lot of the administration is organised. Kind of like a temporary head quarters." Neji told them as they entered.

Now he was relieved to see that there were guards standing at the entrance and ensuring that only shinobi of Konoha could enter.

It was extremely crowded. There were boxes everywhere (filled with important paper work, no doubt) and several nin were hard at work, sorting reports and the like.

Naruto spotted Iruka in the fray, knelt down by a cardboard box and frowning as he shifted through its contents. He took the lead and wound his way over.

He touched his shoulder gently, and Iruka looked up at him, smiling when he saw who it was.

"Naruto, Neji-kun, Gaara-sama," his eyes sobered momentarily when he saw Sasuke but after a moment he inclined his head politely. "Sasuke."

He looked at Naruto.

"What brings you down here?"

"We were ordered to look through the reports from our scouts and spies. Do you know where they are?"

Iruka frowned for a moment as he thought.

"They're not here. They'd be in area C I'd think. I'll go get them for you." He looked around the room with a tired, rueful smile. "You should find somewhere quieter to work. It's a mad house here."

Naruto studied his former-sensei's face. The man was clearly exhausted. He looked like he'd lost a lot of weight, his skin was pale, and he hadn't seemed to have slept for two days at least.

"Any suggestions?" Neji asked disrupting Naruto from his thoughts

"I'll take you to the next cavern over. That's where the hospital has been moved to. Not the best place to be perhaps, but it's a lot quieter."

"Thanks, Ruka."

They followed him into yet another cave. Naruto looked around rather sadly. There were more injured than he'd thought. And not only injured shinobi, but the injured and sick from other villagers too. Medic nin were moving among the makeshift beds, checking vitals and giving water to the thirsty.

In one corner, a group of medics and nurses were crowded around a dying patient, struggling to revive him. Their urgent and shouted orders carried throughout the cave. The patients surrounding the group watched silently, some with their hands resting respectfully over their hearts, as they watched another comrade die before their eyes. Others just watched.

Naruto ran his eyes over the vast amount of patients. Some were bad tempered and fighting their treatments with the nurses and doctors desperately trying to subdue them. Many were unconscious or asleep due to exhaustion and their injuries. A few were talking quietly, sharing news and rumours. But all had a glimmer of something in their eyes, and even though he didn't know what it was, it struck hard at Naruto's heart.

Desperation and the knowledge that maybe, just maybe things weren't going to turn out okay.

Each person was accepting it in different ways. Some fought and struggled fiercely. Others didn't bother to, and just lay there, passive and lifeless, whilst some just sat, remembering all that had happened, and all that could have been.

Most though, were making the most of the situation, talking with their comrades, and trying to forget for a little while at least what was happening beyond Konoha's walls.

Naruto's throat tightened, and his breath hitched slightly. Such courage and strength was more than any leader could hope for. A part of him was proud of these people he didn't know, and another part was already mourning for their loss. Why, he didn't know. They were still alive, and still breathing, weren't they?

He closed his eyes and kept them closed.

Warm breath tickled his ear.

"Come on, Naruto. Don't think about it too much." Neji whispered.

He nodded tightly, and followed Iruka into a small alcove, which was mostly out of sight of the patients, and stacked with boxes of medical supplies.

"This is probably the best place there is. Make yourselves comfortable and I'll go get those reports." Iruka left briskly.

Gaara had pulled a couple of dusty blankets from the top of a box, and they settled themselves on them, using them as cushions to take away some of the discomfort of the cold rock beneath them.

Naruto looked around once more at his companions. Gaara was staring off into space, his mind obviously elsewhere. He was sitting close beside Neji, and it was obvious that they were reluctant to be separated from each other.

Neji's pale eyes were focused once more on the patients who were visible from their current position, but his head was tilted slightly in Gaara's direction

Naruto's heightened senses could practically taste the longing emanating from the two, and their fierce desire for the other.

Beneath that, something much deep rooted than anything else. He was worried for the two now. What would happen if one of them was killed? It would be so much harder for the other to deal with now that they were lovers. And it would be partly his fault, for bringing them together in the first place, wouldn't it?

The aching ball of misery lodged once more in his chest seemed to contract when he thought about it.

Glancing to his right, where Sasuke sat with his arms and legs crossed and his eyes closed, he quickly diverted his thoughts from that painful subject.

The atmosphere seemed to darken further, as Iruka appeared with a haughty (and rather plain looking) chuunin beside him.

Iruka looked distressed and frustrated.

"Naruto, this man…." He began, but was promptly cut off by the chuunin next to him.

"I'm afraid I can't let you have the reports you requested without written permission from the hokage herself."

Naruto stared at the man, temporarily bewildered for a moment, but Neji spoke for him.

"What?"

"I'm afraid I can't…"

"I heard you the first time." Neji said impatiently. "Why?"

"For security purposes." The chuunin smirked slightly, his eyes lingering first on Gaara then Naruto.

It all suddenly clicked into place. They still hated him, and blamed him for being one of the reasons for the war in the first place. Of course they didn't

_Mud sticks, as they say. _He thought, eyeing the man. _They still see me as that brash, obnoxious brat I was back then._

He was angry, and frustrated to the point of tears with the stupid games they played.

Neji and Gaara were already on their feet, ready to rip the bold chuunin to pieces. Even Iruka looked outraged at the man's audacity.

Naruto got slowly to his feet, weariness tugging at his bones.

"Neji, Gaara sit back down." He told them.

"You heard…" Neji began, obviously furious.

"I _said _sit back down." He repeated tightly.

Neji sat down automatically, and Gaara followed suit more slowly as Naruto faced a now nervous chuunin. Even nervous, he stood his ground.

"You know who I am, correct?"

"Hai." The answer was slow, as if the speaker was surprised at his question. "You're the demon fox."

Naruto looked at the man, ignoring the swift intakes of breath from Neji and Iruka.

"I am, and I must say, you're very courageous to be standing up to me so bluntly," Naruto commented, in a deceptively pleasant tone.

"I don't see why everyone is so afraid of putting you in you place. I felt it was time someone did so."

The man stood straighter, more confident of himself now.

The strong killing intent radiating off of Neji and Gaara was almost enough to make him laugh. If the situation hadn't been so infuriating, he probably would have. _They're like guard dogs._

Not that he thought they were inferior in anyway.

Now though, he narrowed his eyes.

"Naruto, perhaps…" Iruka began nervously, obviously well aware that at any moment, Neji and Gaara would spring into action.

Naruto ignored him.

"Despite all you're bravery, you're scared shitless. You're so scared of me, that you're wanting to kill me right here, to put everyone at ease. Your hand it itching to grab a kunai and plunge it into my heart."

The man stiffened and tried to say something, but Naruto wouldn't let him.

"Try it, if you wish. We'll see just how strong this 'demon fox' really is."

The man was sweating visibly now, but Naruto showed no mercy, and plunged on, his patience finally evaporated.

"Now you're wondering how I could _possibly _know all this. D'you want me to tell you? I can _smell _you fear. You reek of it, and personally, I can't stand the stench."

He ran his eyes over the man and stepped closer to him, staring into fearful brown ones as he allowed a hint of the demons power through, causing his pupils to become slitted like a cat's.

Obviously, he wasn't comfortable being in such close quarters with the hated 'demon fox'. He whimpered slightly when he saw his eyes.

"Now. Why don't you run along and fetch those reports I requested? Iruka-sensei here is already tired enough, and you're trying my patience. How does that sound to you?"

"H-hai. I'll be right back." The chuunin stammered before backing off, desperate to get away.

Naruto let his shoulders droop, and reigned in his anger with much difficulty as he felt his eyes return to normal. He turned to Iruka with a small smile.

"I'm sure you have things you need to do, Iruka-sensei. He won't bother us again."

"Naruto…" Iruka's brown eyes were running over his face with something like sadness in his eyes.

"It's okay Iruka. You don't need to worry about us." He said quietly.

Iruka managed a weak smile, and turned to go.

"I'll make sure someone brings you some food and drink." Was all he said before he walked away.

Naruto stared at the man's back for a moment, confused. Maybe he had gone too far, and Iruka was disappointed?

After a moment, he turned back and met a pair of black eyes staring back at him. Sasuke's eyes were burning with a strange heat, and Naruto could feel it engulf him, scouring along his sense and it was all he could do not to cower away. That heat was the most emotion he had seen in Sasuke's eyes since their bitter reunion.

Slightly breathless now, Naruto tore his eyes away and sat back down in his previous position. The air was tense and silence reigned between them.

"Neji." He said after a few minutes of tedious silence.

"Hai?"

"I'd like some water please."

Neji was immediately on his feet. "Of course. I'll be right back"

Neji disappeared, and Naruto leaned back against the wall behind him before looking over at Gaara.

"Have you heard anything from Temari?"

The redhead paused. "No. Nothing yet."

Naruto nodded and wondered if Gaara was worried about his sister. She was still in Sunagakure as far as he knew. They had heard nothing from that country for a few days, so they had no idea of what was happening in that region. There was nothing they could do for them at the moment, and Tsunade was standing by her words adamantly; the protection of Konoha came first.

Naruto longed to lead a team out to investigate, but he knew it was too risky.

"I'm sure she's okay."

"Hmm." Those sea green eyes rested on him. "Do you mind if I look around for a bit?"

Naruto was rather surprised at the request, but thought nothing of it. The only thing he was worried about was being left alone with Sasuke. At all costs, he wanted to avoid talking to him, for fear of breaking down. But he knew that it wasn't possible to avoid him forever. These things had a habit of coming back and biting you in the ass after awhile.

He smiled slightly at Gaara. "Of course you can. You're not a prisoner here."

Naruto watched as Gaara's eyes flickered over the Sasuke before he got up and left, weaving his way through the beds and pausing to look at some patients momentarily before moving on.

Sighing, Naruto nudged his mask from where it rested against his leg. There was no need for it down here, and it was only serving to annoy him now. He could feel Ssuke somewhere beside him, out of his line of sight, but he didn't turn to look at him. He couldn't meet those eyes; those eyes that made him want to blurt out all his secret desires and fears.

"Dobe." Came that feared voice.

Naruto closed his eyes in resignation.

"What?" he didn't have the will power to snap at him anymore, or use the normal cold venom he usually did.

He didn't even bother to reprimand him for using that hated nickname.

"Why do you still let them treat you that way?"

The question startled him. Why would he ask a question like that? Why would it matter to him? Or maybe he was only curious, and nothing more.

"Who?" he still stared at the masses of injured, and refused to look around.

"The villagers. The other shinobi."

"They've always treated me this way, Uchiha. You know that."

"Why haven't you done anything about it? You could, but you haven't."

"What would be the point? Why bother wasting my time on a lost cause? They will never see me differently, no matter what I do. It doesn't matter anyway."

There was silence once more, and Naruto knew Sasuke was thinking about what he'd said.

_Good. Maybe he'll stop talking now. _

That voice had been burned into his soul. It was like music, a dark, enchanting music which gripped you, and stripped away all of your strength. He didn't want to hear it anymore, because everything about Sasuke made him feel weak and uncertain. And he hated feeling like that. It wasn't right.

"You never used to be like this."

"Like what?"

"Like…bitter. And quiet. You're different."

"People change." He replied shortly. _But some don't…_

"Why did _you _change?" the question was asked in that same detached voice, and it made Naruto furious to hear it, and did nothing to make him want to answer such a personal question.

"Why do you care? It has nothing to do with you, so leave it alone." He snapped, unable to hold his anger back any longer.

_Keep it together, Naruto. Don't lose control in front of him...It'll show him that you care. Keep it together…_

"I beg to differ," came the quiet reply.

Naruot whipped his head around to look a him in shock and anger.

That was a mistake.

The first thing he saw was those steady, black eyes watching him. He wanted to look away but he couldn't bring himself to.

He drank in the sight of that face, that beautiful face which had haunted his dreams. He wanted to be held in those arms for a little while, to make the world disappear so he could forget everything that had happened between them. Just for a little while…

He wanted to touch that perfect skin, and to run his fingers through that midnight hair. To bury his face in that elegant neck.

But he couldn't.

"W-what?" he managed. _How typically arrogant…_

"I can see it in your eyes. You can't hide anything from me Naruto."

He felt like his defences were crumbling before his very eyes. It wasn't true- it _couldn't _be true. He knew that Sasuke knew everything about him, about his past and all those hardships…

But he'd never really understood who he was. Despite knowing everything about him, he had never really _known_ who he was as a person. He'd completely failed to grasp that concept.

Naruto didn't know Sasuke either. Not anymore, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to. Once, he may have had a glimmer of understanding, but that had disappeared. If he had really known Sasuke, he wouldn't have been completely blindsided when Sasuke had left. And with that realization was only sorrow.

"You know nothing, Sasuke. You never did," he told him quietly, finally looking away.

"What does that mean?" There was a touch of heat in that voice, and Naruto knew he had struck a nerve.

Maybe he was playing with fire but he didn't flinch. Many probably did, but he didn't. He didn't see a ruthless, cold blooded killer; all he saw was a man who had no clue of what he'd thrown away, or what was happening to those around him.

"It means whatever you want it to," he replied, knowing this would only anger him further, but not caring in the slightest.

He didn't want to care, and he didn't want to fight. It was all too messed up in the first place. Things had never been easy between them, right from the start, and now they were tangled beyond repair.

Naruto spotted Neji heading back over, and was relieved through the whirlwind of emotions.

Neji set down the tray he was carrying and handed him a water bottle, before taking a thick pile of reports from under his arm.

"Here. Iruka sent food too."

"Are they the reports?" he asked as Neji pressed a bread roll into his hand.

"Yeah. I ran into that chuunin and…relieved him of his burden." Neji replied, somewhat grimly.

"I hope you didn't hurt him too badly. Tsunade would have my ass if she hears we've been terrorizing the chuunin." Naruto murmured distractedly as he picked up the top folder.

"Che. They scare too easily. Besides, I didn't hurt him much." Neji looked around. "Where's Gaara?"

Naruto hid a smile. "He went to look around. He'll be back soon."

Neji nodded and sat down next to him as Naruto began to flick through the pages of the first report.

"Eat, Naruto. You must eat."

"Stop fussing, Neji." Naruto told him mildly as he scanned through the pages.

There was nothing there which Naruto didn't already know. Most of the spies were reporting casualty and mortality rates from other villages which had fallen, and the withdrawal of the main forces from those areas. He frowned.

"How recent are these reports?"

"Some are a month old. Most are within the last week or so." Neji told him quietly, as if he knew what was about to happen.

Naruto cursed and tossed the folder down.

"She's just finding things to keep me busy! There's no point in doing this!" he hissed.

Neji put his apple core back on the tray and looked at him.

"That doesn't matter. She's asked you to do, so you have to. That's all there is to it."

Naruto glared at him. "I don't need a lecture about my duties and responsibilities, Neji!"

The man didn't answer, and after a moment Naruto sighed and rubbed at his tired eyes.

"Sorry. Why don't you find something for Sasuke to do, then come and help me with these?" Naruto suggested.

"Hai." Neji stood up and turned to Sasuke. "On your feet."

Sasuke took his time in getting up, and Naruto watched as that long. Lithe body unfolded and towered above him and left with his lieutenant. Poor Neji, always having to calm him down and make him see sense. It couldn't be the easiest job for him, as even Naruto knew he could be suprisingly thick-headed at times.

He relaxed. Now that Sasuke was gone, he could finally concentrate on those stupid reports.

Sighing again, Naruto gulped down a mouthful of water and took a bite out of a bread roll stuffed with meat as he shifted to find a more comfortable position on his blanket.

Once more, he picked up the first report. No use procrastinating either. The sooner he started, the quicker he'd finish.

He flicked to the first page and began to read.

* * *

YO! 

Been awhile hasn't it? I took myself a little break, and I'm all ready to write again! Been broadening my horizons, so to speak!

Hope you enjoyed this chappie! I quite liked the confrontation with that chuunin!

But anyways, almost 20 chapters now! Sorry for the long wait, but I PROMISE that all the Sasuke/Naruto yumminess starts in the next chapter! And builds from there!

Had to build up to it ya know? For suspence and all that jazz.

Thanks for reading folks, and sorry again for the long wait! Hope you enjoyed!

Oh, and thanks to all those wonderful reviewers who reviewed the last chapter! Expect the next chapter soon!

Ja Ne!


	21. Refugees

**Disclaimer: **_None of the wonderful characters or concepts of Naruto belong to me. The lyrics used are from the song Winter in my Heart by Vast._

**Warnings: **_Shounen ai (don't like, don't read. The flamers will be used to keep my muses warm, I promise you!) Swearing and angst. Also, my first attempt at writing a fight scene- it could be really bad! As well as this, the anticipated beginning of Sasuke's and Naruto's relationship! Yatta!_

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Chapter Twenty:_ Refugees_

_I need a summer but the summer's come and gone_

_I need a summer but it's winter in my heart_

_It's all the same_

_The fucked up game you play with me_

_I need to hold you_

_But you're never coming back…_

Despite his former reservations, Naruto was soon lost in the reports. When he actually got down to it, they were very useful, and he'd reacted prematurely before; even though they seemed not to hold any statistics he didn't already know of they were useful. In a way he supposed it was Tsunade's way of apologizing for keeping him confined within Konoha.

Still, nothing could change the fact that the reports were daunting. Naruto was sickened by much of what he read. The causalities were devastatingly high and the mortality rates were even worse. Many villages had been razed to the ground, the people had either fled to the sanctuary of the few remaining Hidden villages, or they had sought refuge in the wild. Conflicts between groups and fierce competition for what food there was had resulted in even greater loss of life. Some had gone mad, driven to insanity by what they had witnessed, or been though, or what they had lost.

To put it simply, things had descended into utter chaos and he was scared. The Akatsuki had managed to crush many of the hidden villages in less than a year. They were way too powerful; he knew that even with Orochimaru's help, they were probably still doomed to failure. The least they could do was try to save as many lives as possible. It was impossible to hold Konoha for any amount of time. They would have to run, and Naruto was betting that it would be sooner rather than later.

He barely noticed when Neji rejoined him. They didn't speak at all. The only noise which sounded in their sheltered little alcove was the quiet rustling of paper.

About an hour later, Neji sighed and rested his head back. Naruto blinked as he looked up at his vice captain.

"This is worse than I thought it was." Neji said quietly.

"I know. But there's nothing here that indicates any pattern of movement, or gives us any hint as to what they are planning." Naruto frowned, before cursing under his breath.

He looked at Neji once more.

"What did you do with Sasuke?"

A cruel little smirk tugged at the corners of Neji's mouth.

"I gave him over to Hinata. She has him helping to collect blood and make bandages."

Naruto sighed inwardly. He was unsure just what Neji's motives were at the moment. The amount of animosity and hostility he was directing towards Sasuke was out of character. It didn't fit his personality at all, and he was worried about what the man would do, and how such strong emotions would affect his judgement.

The last thing he needed was more trouble; he had enough to deal with without having to worry about Neji waging his own private war against Sasuke.

Neji himself was looking pale and drawn; a fine sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and his eyes were red and tired.

"How's you neck?" Naruto asked him softly, unable to keep his eyes from straying to the bandage covering Orochimaru's mark.

Neji smiled at him tiredly. "It twinges, now and then, but usually it doesn't hurt."

Naruto touched his friend's cheek fleetingly. "It is draining you, though. You should get some rest."

Instead of agreeing, Neji shook his head firmly. "I'm fine. I need to finish reading these reports with you anyway."

He sighed. He should have known that Neji would be stubborn about it. The man could be extremely tenacious when he had a mind for something, and it wasn't always a good thing. Sometimes it was useless to argue with him once he had made up his mind, and although it was incredibly endearing at times, it was also frustrating for those who had to oppose him, namely Naruto himself.

"No. I can deal with the rest of these. There aren't that many left."

"But you should…"

"I mean it, Neji. Get some sleep. And that's an order." Naruto said firmly, but he could feel a smile tugging at his own mouth despite his words.

Neji did not look happy, but Naruto didn't care. He had taken on the burden of bearing that wretched seal in order to protect Naruto (he had to wonder why people were so protective of him at times) and he'd be damned if he let Neji suffer any more than absolutely necessary.

"Fine. But wake me _immediately_ if anything happens, okay?"

"Who's giving the orders here, me or you?" Naruto said with a smile.

It was a topic which they often joked about. Although Neji always followed Naruto's orders, there were some things that he was positively adamant about, and if that meant he had to oppose Naruto, then he would. But it never caused any bitterness between them.

"I promise." He told him. Neji narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, before lying down, using his arms as a pillow.

He covered Neji with an unused blanket, watching fondly as the man's pale eyes closed sleepily.

"Thanks," he murmured as he drifted off almost immediately.

With a shake of his head, Naruto returned to the report lying open on his lap.

Almost three hours passed in relative peace before a commotion across the cavern caught his attention. Normally, he would have let it pass and left it to the doctors to sort out, but the noise was disturbing both him and the patients.

Frowning, he got carefully to his feet, ignoring protesting joints and muscles as he hurried across to the small knot of medics and nurses.

"What's going on here?"

The group were momentarily distracted by his arrival, and he used it to his advantage, assessing the situation quickly.

The doctors and nurses were crowded around two shinobi- no, two Anbu, who looked as if they had been dragged face down through the forest by rampaging bulls. Twice.

A harassed looking medic decided to plead his case to Naruto instead.

"They need treatment, Captain, and yet they are refusing it." The man said, casting a reprimanding look over his shoulder at them.

Naruto eyed the Anbu, who were visibly swaying on their feet with exhaustion, but staying upright with sheer force of will.

"This is not a matter which can be put on hold!" one said, as he tightened his hold around the waist of the team mate he was supporting.

"Quiet." Naruto told them. "There are wounded."

"Begging your pardon Captain, but we have an urgent report you need to hear."

"Have you reported to the Hokage?"

"No. You were the closest, and we couldn't locate her."

Naruto nodded and turned to the waiting medics and anxious looking nurses who were hovering around them.

"Give me a few minutes with them, and they're all yours."

The doctor looked as if he was going to protest, but a quick frown from Naruto forestalled his arguments and they drifted away.

Now, he beckoned to the two, and they followed him into the shadowed passageway.

"Sit down." He told them, as he looked them over in pity.

They slid down the wall to the ground with obvious relief.

"Speak."

"Sunagakure is on the verge of defeat. They're still fighting, but what's left of the villagers has been evacuated. They're heading this way right now. We encountered them when we were returning from a recon mission, and they requested aid and shelter." The second Anbu reported his voice hoarse and strained.

"How many?"

"Almost two hundred, Captain. Many are wounded. They're being escorted by some Shinobi, but there are signs that they're being pursued."

Naruto pushed back his shock at the news and began to think about possible courses of action immediately. He needed to make a decision, and quickly; there were many lives depending on it.

Tsunade was unavailable, and he was basically the next in command. This only left him one option really. Wearily, he made his decision, aware that the two were watching him somewhat anxiously.

He gave them a small smile.

"You two, I want you to get yourselves treated and then rest. You've done well."

Naruto left them then, and returned to where Neji was sleeping peacefully.

Regretting it already, he shook his friends shoulder gently, and Neji was awake instantly, his eyes fixed on his face intently.

_As befitted any half-decent shinobi, _he thought bitterly.

"What is it? What's happened?"

"Sunagakure has been evacuated, and the refugees are heading here. They need protection and I'm going."

"Naruto, you know…" Neji began as he sat up.

"I know. But I have no choice. Tsunade's not available, and I'm the only one with the authority to do anything at the moment." He explained as they stood up together.

"What are your orders?" Neji asked instantly, and Naruto felt a wave of relief, grateful that he wasn't going to fight him on this one.

"I want you to send a message to Tsunade and let her know the situation. Then gather all available shinobi and follow me."

Neji looked concerned now. "You're going alone."

"No. I'll find Gaara and bring him. It involves his village after all."

"And Sasuke?"

"Is going too." Said a deep voice behind them.

They both turned to face him, first surprised, then annoyed.

"I'll decide that, not you!" Naruto snapped, before turning back to Neji.

"Get going. And be quick. I want you to catch up with us."

Neji nodded and hurried away, leaving him with the entity known as Sasuke. He picked up his mask and brushed past the taller man, who followed him silently as he exited the cave and began along the passageway.

Once he was sure they were alone and completely out of earshot of any one else, Naruto abruptly swung around to face Sasuke.

"You're not coming." He said flatly.

"And what led to that decision?" Sasuke asked coolly, crossing his arms.

"You're a liability and I don't trust you. I won't risk letting you out of Konoha."

"Am I really that dangerous to you?" Sasuke asked, his voice dropping to a quiet murmur, and his eyes glittering strangely in the dim lighting.

He took a step towards Naruto, and he retreated involuntarily in surprise.

"Am I that much of a threat?"

Another step and Naruto felt his back hit cold stone. His eyes widened and his breath hitched in his throat as Sasuke kept advancing. There was no way Naruto could escape.

_Too close…he was too close…_

"Stop this." Naruto managed, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't have time for this stupidity."

Sasuke was so close that he could feel the taller man's body heat. He was staring unblinkingly into Naruto's eyes, and he was paralysed by that burning heat. He felt weak…

Sasuke leaned close and Naruto closed his eyes, praying for this sweet and terrible torture to stop. This wasn't happening…

Warm breath fanned his ear and he shivered, wanting to pull the body before him but not daring too. He clenched his fists in a vain attempt to stop them from trembling.

"Are we not allies now?" came the hot whisper in his ear. "Will you not trust me?"

Naruto swallowed with great difficulty.

"Never." He gasped. "Never again…"

His hands were now on Sasuke's chest, trying and failing to push him away. He needed to get away, to run from him. Sauske pulled back a little to look him in the eyes once more. Naruto flinched slightly as Sasuke's hands came up to frame his face with surprising gentleness.

His hands were warm, not cold as he'd always imagined them to be.

Sasuke leaned close, until the tip of his nose was almost touching Naruto's, and his body was pressing him back into the wall.

Naruto swallowed again, trembling as he prayed to whatever gods that were listening to end this torment.

_It was too much…much more than he'd expected…he was too close…_

_Please…don't let him kiss me…not that…_

But Sasuke did no such thing. He merely looked into his eyes.

"I'm coming."

Naruto released a pent up breath of relied, shakily.

"We don't have time for this." He whispered, once more trying to push Sasuke away. His touch was too painful, and he yearned for those hands. But at the same time, he wished they wouldn't touch him. He wanted to badly to hate Sasuke at them moment, to be spiteful, and to scorn him, but Sasuke's odd display of gentleness confused him, and all he wanted to do was shrink away from the man. This was too confusing…

All of a sudden, Sasuke stepped away from him. Naruto felt oddly cold at the loss of his closeness, both relieved and saddened. He was left feeling a little melancholy, and just a bit more jaded.

Sasuke was still watching him intently, but he said nothing.

A moment later Gaara appeared.

"Let's go," the red head said quietly.

Naruto glanced from Gaara to Sasuke. He didn't want to continue to argue with Sasuke- mainly because he lacked both the strength and the conviction. Besides, didn't Tsunade say that Sasuke was to remain at his side?

Resigning himself to the fact, he turned and led the two from the caves.

"Stay close," he told them. "We'll be moving quickly."

Neither said a word, but he didn't need their consent and so he leapt onto the nearest roof top.

Within an hour and a half, they reached the border and Naruto signalled a halt. Breathing a little raggedly, he scanned their surroundings. There was a pair of nin nearby, and they watched in silence as they came into view. After a moment, it became clear that they were part of the border patrol.

Since the beginning of the war, Tsunade had ordered temporary outposts to be built every few miles along the borders of Konoha, with nin stationed there indefinitely, performing compulsory guard duties.

Naruto leapt from the branched, having told Sasuke and Gaara to remain concealed. The two nin were on alert the moment he appeared, but relaxed when they saw his Anbu mask and robes.

"Captain."

"I want you to alert all the out posts along this border. There is a group of refugees and shinobi from Sunagakure arriving soon, and they are being pursued. I want them to enter unharmed." He looked them over sternly. "Am I clear?"

"Of course, Captain. We'll inform them right away."

Naruto nodded and dismissed them before beckoning for the other two to join him.

They landed silently beside him.

"It will be dangerous for us to leave the borders at them moment," Gaara said.

Naruto nodded absently; he was unsure of the next step to take. Should he wait here for the reinforcements, or should they move out to locate the group?

"What's your decision?" Sasuke's slightly impatient voice broke into his jumbled thoughts.

Naruto ignored him determinedly as he thought, knowing it would only serve to piss Sasuke off even further.

"Neji isn't far behind us. We'll wait for him to catch up before we continue."

This met no arguments, but he could almost feel Sasuke's impatience, it was so strong. Well, he'd just have to wait wouldn't he?

Doubt and worry nagged at his mind. Tsunade's words and warnings were thoroughly drilled into his brain, and he cursed her silently for making him so paranoid. After all, how much danger could he possibly be in? He was keeping company with two of the most powerful and feared nin of their generation, and he doubted that anyone except the most courageous and strong would attempt to waylay them. Or the most insane.

The doubts remained.

Within minutes, Neji joined them.

"We'd better get a move on." He said by way of greeting. "Tsunade's pissed, and it'd be best if we kept ahead of the force she's sending out."

Naruto straightened, and groaned slightly. He was so never going to hear the end of this- she would skin him alive for sure this time.

"Is she with them?"

"No. She sent Jiraiya with the force instead."

Naruto relaxed slightly, knowing he could breath a littler easier for a while longer.

"Okay. Let's move on then. They can't be too far now."

They started off again, on the look out for the group and on alert for any signs of movement.

For a long time they found nothing. They were well away from the Fire countries borders by now, and things were riskier now, seeing as they moved deeper into dangerous territory.

About two frustrating hours later, their search came to an end. They were in mid leap when they attacked. Luckily, Naruto and his group had sensed them, and blocked the kunai and shurikun before they leapt back and dropped into fighting stances.

Their opponents were crouched and tense, with more weapons ready. There were only two, and they looked exhausted. Yet they held their positions with stubborn determination etched into their very stances.

"Sand nin." Gaara said quietly.

But Naruto already knew from their uniforms. All four of them had relaxed into more natural positions and weapons were put away.

"They must be pretty determined to attack when outnumbered." Neji muttered.

Irritated with their comments, but not bothering to say anything, Naruto stepped forward a few paces, causing the two sand nin to tense and prepare to attack.

"We're from Konoha," Naruto called in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "We've come to help."

"Konoha, you say? How did you know we were coming?" One asked his tone guarded and weary. Neither relaxed their positions in the slightest.

"Two of my Anbu members were on patrol and spotted you coming our way. We mean no harm."

"Give us proof that you are who you say you are."

Naruto almost sighed in frustration, nut he felt that they wouldn't appreciate it. Besides, he had to commend their efforts. They were right to be wary to begin with. Those that weren't were usually the first to die in times of war.

He was annoyed that Gaara was staying silent though. If that wanted proof, then Gaara was it. No one could affect the same airs as he did and scare almost everyone shitless with his eerie ways.

"I did not bring my identification papers with me…"

Not that he ever did. He didn't even wear dog tags these days, as most others. Neji did and he was often seen trying to convince him to as well.

"And yet you are outside your own borders. That can only mean you are enemies."

Naruto reminded himself that they were doing their jobs, and that they were tired. Both had probably been on scout duty for more than a day, travelling without breaks for hours on end. Neither had probably eaten for awhile. He vowed he wouldn't lose his temper with them.

"Put away your weapons." A voice snapped from nearby.

Surprised, and reluctant, they did so. They both straightened as an older and tired looking Temari joined them. She gave them a small smile when see leapt down from the tree.

"What are you doing here, brat?" she asked. "And what are you doing hiding back there Gaara?"

Gaara didn't reply, but he did step forward. Naruto noted the nin's looks of astonishment and fear. Some things never changed.

"Who else have you got with you, Naruto?"

"This is Neji, my second in command. And I believe you remember Sasuke."

Temari eyed Sasuke soberly as she studied him. She had only met him for a few moments when they came to compete in the chuunin exams seven years ago, and now he was a fully grown man, shrouded in mystery and darkness. Naruto wondered what she thought of him now. Did she still think him handsome as she once had? Or did she now look deeper and see the bitter ugliness that had overtaken him? It was impossible to tell from her expression, and Naruto decided that he didn't really want to know what she thought anyway.

A few moments later, she looked back at Naruto.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were to keep Gaara safe in Konoha."

Naruto thought he saw a shadow of a glare on Gaara's face and a small smile on Neji's as she said this. Who would have thought that Gaara of all people needed protecting?

"We received word of your coming and came out to help. There's a platoon of Konoha shinobi behind us to give you safe passage into Konoha."

She sighed and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand, looking relieved.

"Thank the gods! Things have been bad lately. We've been attacked repeatedly, but we've been unable to do more than run. They haven't attacked today though."

"How bad is it?" Neji asked, and Naruto braced himself for the answer.

"Bad. There's still some fighting in Sunagakure, but most have fled with us, or deserted. We have many wounded and the rest are on the verge of collapse. We've had no choice but to drive them relentlessly, but they're too worn out and scared to go any faster now."

"And the attacks aren't helping." Neji added quietly.

"No they're not. I'm at my tethers end. We're in desperate need of protection and supplies."

"Take us to them. We'll do all we can now. The platoon is less than an hour away by now, and you're about a day away from Konoha."

"I wish it weren't that far. We lose more people each night." She told them sadly as they walked.

They did not talk again as they made their way through the sparse undergrowth. The trees were slowly thinning out, and their surroundings were a stark comparison to Konoha's green forests and deep rivers. At least they had made it to the trees, and they had some cover. Beyond these trees though, the landscape thinned and dried out into dry grasslands and hot sandy deserts.

A few minutes later, the first of the refugees came into sight. Their faces and clothes were ragged and dirty. Most carried packs, some pulled hand wagons and many were helping to carry litters with the wounded. Children were trudging beside their parents or carried if they were young. Naruto could see the fear and dull exhaustion in their eyes. They were lost and displaced from their homes, with no idea where they were going or what was to come. Most had probably lost loved ones in the battle for Sunagakure, and their sorrow was palpable.

Even if they managed to survive the war, what was there for them to return to?

Naruto's heart tightened with the weight of their sadness. He was at once glad for his mask; surely his emotions must be written plainly on his face. It was a bad thing for a shinobi to show emotions, for it made them weak and vulnerable to their enemies. He could see why, and he had never been very good at suppressing his own emotions, although he dearly wished he could at times. At the moment, they were on the verge of overflowing.

"Is this all?" he asked, miraculously keeping the tremor from his voice.

"No. We've split into smaller groups so we won't attract as much attention. They're not visible from here but they're close." Temari said quietly, so as not to alarm the villagers.

"I see." His eyes were fixed on the injured nin and civilians, and the dried blood on their clothes.

Temari touched his arm.

"There's someone I think you want to see."

"Who?" Neji asked for him, his voice sounding slightly dull.

"Come and see for yourself."

She led them along the column to a stretcher. Naruto's eyes widened and he flew to the stretcher, which was gently set down by it's bearers.

"Kakashi!"

"He came to us awhile ago, terribly injured. We've done all we can for him with our limited supplies. He's hanging on though."

Kakashi looked like death incarnate; his normally pale skin was sickly white, and his normally wild white hair was matted and dull. His eyes were sunken, and darkened, and ugly purple bruise almost covered the whole left side of his face His lips were cracked and bleeding. His body was wrapped tightly in blankets, so he couldn't see the extent of the rest of his injuries, and he was sure he didn't want to. He gulped, feeling an odd mix of hysteria and relief tangle within him.

Reaching out, he touched the cool, clammy cheek uncertainly.

"Kakashi?" he whispered fearfully as he pushed his mask up.

The pale man's eyelids fluttered and opened sluggishly. His dark eyes were clouded with pain and dull, and recognition flashed within them when he saw Naruto.

" 'ruto?" a hoarse, dry whisper.

He nodded and smiled at him. "You're safe Kakashi. You're almost home now."

" 'ruka?" was the next slurred question.

"He's safe and well. He's waiting for you. At Konoha."

Relief was the only thing in those eyes as they closed, and Kakashi slipped back into unconsciousness once more.

Naruto fought rebelliously against the up welling of tears as he looked at his former sensei- so weak and frail.

A hand clasped his shoulder firmly-Neji. Glad for the silent support, he stood up. The others had been silent during the brief exchange.

They all jumped as a nin teleported in unexpectedly.

"Temari-sama! Trouble at the rear! The man panted.

"What's happening?" she demanded sharply.

"I don't know. There's a commotion though, and they sent me to get you."

She nodded curtly. "Go alert the other groups, and tell them to prepare for another attack."

She glanced at Naruto's group. "You lot, come with me."

They followed her quick pace, Naruto willingly submitting to her leadership for the time being.

* * *

Well, there you go, my rabid readers. I hope you enjoyed it, because it too me ages to write! Sorry, there wasn't much action between Sasuke and Naruto, but there's a whole lot more next chapter, so keep reading! (Nothing graphic mind you, but oh well!)

Remember to review!

For those of you who read my other stories, my next update will be on Possession. Look forward to it!

I have a job interview tomorrow, so wish me luck!

Ja Ne!


	22. Pressure

**Disclaimer: **The characters nor the concept do not belong to me in any way shape or form.

**Warnings: **Contains shounen ai, violence, swearing and some other offensive subject. I will not take any notice of anyone who complains!

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Chapter twenty-one: _Pressure_

They heard the frantic screaming before they could see what was going on. Although the scene was a distressing one, it wasn't anything like what Naruto had expected, and that filled him with a sense of relief. At least they weren't under attack or anything.

Several sand nin were standing around and trying to calm the hysterical woman. Other adults, who could only be villagers, were standing behind her, their faces stricken and terrified.

"Katia, stop that infernal noise," Temari snapped as they approached. "It's solving nothing!"

The woman immediately tried to stifle her sobs in her husbands shoulder, who wrapped a supporting arm around her.

"Now, will someone explain what's going on here?"

One of the harried looking nin turned to them.

"It seems a group of children have gone missing, Temari-sama."

"How many?"

"Four or five."

"How many is it them?" Temari asked, her impatience evident in her brisk tone.

"Four." Another nin spoke up. "These six are the parents of three."

"And the other?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Is an orphan. His parents were killed."

"That's not important now. We need to find these children, and quickly."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Temari-sama?" Neji spoke up quietly. "It could be a trap. Your first priority is getting as many of the villagers as possible to Konoha safely."

"Of course it's a trap!" one of the sand nin said.

The woman began to wail again, and her husband tried to silence her with whispered words when Temari glared at her formidably.

"I am well aware of what my priorities are, Neji-san. But I can't very well leave a group of children at the mercy of those foul cretins."

"She's right. We can't leave them out there. It isn't right." Naruto agreed. "So we'll go after them. It'll give a chance to scout the situation regarding your pursuers."

Neji looked as if he was about to say something, but Naruto looked at him, trying not to plead.

"They're too tired to search properly, Neji. Jiraiya should be arriving any minute now. It'll be fine."

"That isn't what I'm worried about," was the quiet answer.

Naruto turned away, hating that he was causing Neji distress, but seeing no alternative.

"We'll go." He repeated.

Temari nodded, and turned once more to the worried parents, speaking quietly and Naruto signalled to the others. They leapt into the cover of the trees and began to move in the direction the nin had pointed them in.

"So what's the plan?" Neji asked, sounding resigned to the situation.

Naruto bit his lip as he felt a twinge of guilt. Neji must have been tired of trying to talk him out of situations such as the one they were in. It seemed that he was only putting up a token defence now, and he felt a flash of pain. He didn't want to lose his oldest and dearest friend, but the gap between them widened with every bad and unwise decision he made. He managed to drive everyone away sooner or later, and he was only surprised it had taken so long with Neji.

Maybe he wasn't suited to the position of Anbu captain after all.

"They can't be too far if they wandered off on their own," he said. "Use your Byakugan, Neji."

A few whispered words and then silence as Neji scanned their surroundings intently.

"Over there. One' o'clock." He pointed. "I'm not sure what it is, but something's not quite right."

Naruto nodded and altered their course slightly to accommodate Neji's correction.

"If there's trouble, which is almost certain, I want us to stay together and get to the kids as quickly as possible. We will not fight, not this time," Naruto instructed quietly as they came closer to the area Neji had indicated.

Sasuke snorted in obvious contempt, but said nothing, so Naruto paid him no heed. It didn't particularly bother him if Sasuke disagreed with his decisions, so it did nothing to rile his temper.

"Neji?"

"They're there…" Neji frowned, trailing off.

"What's wrong?"

"They're not alone. They're hiding their chakra signatures well, so I can't pinpoint exactly where they are."

Naruto held up their hands and they halted, carefully concealed in the sparse foliage of the trees.

"What can you see exactly?"

"The children are dead ahead, about 50 metres. I can see other chakra signatures, but I can't tell who or where. Something's not right." Neji looked troubled and irritated with the lack of information. "I don't like this."

"What are your orders?" Gaara asked in that deadpan voice of his.

Naruto glanced at the redhead in surprise; it was unusual for him to take orders from anyone willingly, but it didn't seem to bother him when they were coming from Naruto. Maybe it was because of Neji, but it didn't really matter. He was glad that Gaara was backing him up as well.

He turned his attention back to the situation before them.

"Naruto?"

He didn't want to lead them all into such an obvious trap, but he couldn't abandon the children to such a fate.

"We move in quickly and grab them and be prepared for attack. Then we head back to Konoha as soon as possible. We'll split into two, to try and confuse any who follow."

"It's not going to be so easy," Sasuke said suddenly. "It's a trap. For all we know, the children could be dead already."

"I can see their chakra." Naji pointed out flatly.

"There are techniques, such as the Edo Tensei(1), which can bring back the souls of the dead," Sasuke replied unemotionally.

Neji looked furious and scandalized at the same time. Gaara remained silent, and Naruto was watching the quiet argument with one eye. As sickening as it was, Sasuke was correct. If the reports he's read on the death of the Sandaime were correct then it was a technique which people like Orochimaru would use, and seeing as he had once been a part of the Akatsuki, it was a probable scenario.

"He's right, Neji. But we can't take the chance of leaving them there. We'll deal with that problem when we've got them."

"I don't like this idea."

"We don't have a choice," Naruto said firmly.

He went to move, but a strong hand gripped his arm tightly and he looked down into Sasuke's dark eyes in surprise.

"Give me more chakra."

"What?"

He frowned, confused and not liking the idea at all. Sasuke obviously saw this on his face and he scowled slightly, frustrated.

"I'm useless like this. I only need a little, damn it!"

"Fine. But if I find you using any of your foul forbidden techniques, I'll make sure you regret it!" Naruto snapped, hating that Sasuke was right.

He had been keeping a tight hold on Sasuke's chakra flow, afraid that he would do something stupid. In fact, he'd kept it at the barest trickle, just enough to keep him alive and functioning properly.

He relented the tiniest bit, widening the channel between them and allowing a rush of cool, shadowed chakra to flow into Sasuke. He accepted it greedily, taking it into his system like a starving man who'd been given food. Startled, and feeling a little guilty, Naruto feed him more.

"Right. Let's go."

They took off, Gaara and Neji splitting off the attack from the opposite side without being told. As they swooped down on the unsuspecting children, no one attacked.

Naruto landed, and scooped a terrified little girl into his hold, glancing around at the others before he leapt nimbly back up into the branches of the trees. The little girl clutched at him tightly.

"It's okay," he murmured. "We're here to take you to your parents."

Just then, a sudden shout from Neji drew his attention. Naruto only had a moment to see Neji and Gaara fending off a large number of unfamiliar shinobi before he himself was attacked.

He whirled just in time to block a barrage of kunai and shuriken and felt himself slip as he did so. The next thing he knew, he was falling in an uncontrollable dive, crashing through branches painfully and trying to protect the child. He hit the ground and for a moment he lay stunned and breathless, until he realized that Sasuke was in front of him, fending off his attacker.

He glanced down at the little body in his arms; it took him a moment to realize that she was still.

And not breathing.

His breath hitched in his throat as he saw her head was hanging at an odd angle.

Sasuke landed beside him.

"Pull yourself together, you sorry excuse for a shinobi!" he snapped, his eyes on the battle that was raging around them. In his arms he held a small boy close to his chest

For a moment, he just stared in horrified realization at the girl in his arms, unable to believe what had happened.

"She's dead, Naruto! Now leave her and get on you feet!"

Numbly, he complied and stood up as Sasuke thrust the boy into his arms and leapt off to engage the enemy once more.

There was no time to dwell on what had happened, so he shifted the boy until he was clinging to his back and drew more kunai.

He was attacked from the left, and in mere seconds, he left the bodies on the ground and moved on to the next, working his way over to where Neji and Gaara were fighting furiously. Sand flew everywhere, eliciting screams and howls of pain as it crushed enemies in mid leap.

Neji was a mere blur as engaged in his Hakke Hyakunijuuhachishou (2), moving with an easy grace and deadly speed.

Naruto had no such special techniques, but he was fast, and accurate, and in such a small battle, he had no wish to use any of his more deadly techniques, so he stuck to using his weapons and his skills in taijutsu to fend off enemy attacks, moving with speed equal to Neji's

"Retreat as soon as you can find an opening!" he yelled to the two over the noises of the battle. "Make your way to konoha!"

A moment later, things began to go wrong.In nightmarish slow motion, he saw a brief flash of red and black just before Gaara cried out and fell to his knees. He dropped into a defensive stance as Neji screamed his fury and leapt to defend his fallen lover.

Naruto turned in the direction of the attack and froze when he met a pair of bloody red eyes, chillingly terrifying with their intensity.

Uchiha Itachi.

He was gone before Naruto could do anything more than stare.

"Neji!"

"He's okay! You go on ahead with Sasuke!"

At least the attackers had begun to retreat now, following their leader.

Sasuke appeared at his side once more, grabbed his elbow and the next thing he knew they were flying through the trees at break neck speed.

"That was…" he began.

"I know who it was," Sasuke said tightly, fury evident in his voice. "Will you _MOVE_! I'm not going to drag your ass all the way to Konoha!"

Angry with both himself and Sasuke, Naruto yanked his arm out of his grasp and shifted the little boy, who was oddly silent, higher on his back and sped up, keeping pace with Sasuke as he berated himself silently for his stupidity.

_How _could he have been so _stupid! _Standing there like a fool when Gaara was hurt! And that girl….

Frantically he pushed the image of the lifeless little body from his mind. He couldn't deal with that now. He needed to see the little boy to safety before he could begin to deal with that new wound.

How was he going to explain this to her parents?

Tsunade greeted them at the gates, complete with several platoons of shinobi on standby. She said nothing to reprimand him as they came into sight, merely ordering the nin to lower their weapons.

"Get yourselves into the caves and see that the boy receives medical attention. Then get yourselves checked out and wait there for me," She told them, tight lipped as the gates closed behind them.

"Neji and Gaara are behind us. Gaara's hurt." Naruto told her, feeling unusually drained and tired.

"How?" Tsunade asked incredulously, obviously not understanding how such a thing could happen.

Naruto didn't look at Sasuke, who stood, staring off into the distance, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Uchiha Itachi."

Tsunade grabbed his shoulders, eliciting a frightened whimper from the boy on his back. Naruto shifted him closer and nodded grimly.

"I only saw him for a moment after Gaara was hurt, and then he disappeared."

"How badly is he injured?"

"I don't know. Neji was with him, and he said he was fine, but I left before I could tell."

Tsunade closed her eyes and exhaled her posture stiff with tension.

"Go. I'll send a platoon out to look for them, and a messenger to Orochimaru to tell him what's happened," she said, glancing at Sasuke before looking at Naruto grimly.

Naruto nodded, understanding the message in her eyes.

_Watch him closely._

The little boy's name was Kasumi (3) and he was very quiet and shy. At first he wouldn't leave Naruto's arms, and began to cry softly when the medics tried to take him away to examine him. It tore at Naruto's heart to see the boy's tears, so he stayed next to him, holding his hand.

"Can you tell me your name, little one?" he asked gently, with a smile on his face.

The boy sniffled and clutched his hand to his chest and didn't answer.

"That's okay. My name is Uzamaki Naruto, but you can call me Naruto okay?"

The child was gorgeous, with dark brown silky hair, and large grey eyes. A faint dusting of freckles adorned his nose, and he was rather small for his ages. He was wearing only a pair of shorts and a ragged t-shirt, and seeing as it was chilly down in the caves, he couldn't have been very comfortable. Naruto stripped off his Anbu robes and draped them over his shoulders.

The child released his hand to clutch it around himself, leaning into Naruto's side as he did so.

The medic nin smiled as she put her equipment away and pulled off her gloves.

"He's okay, Captain-sama. Only a few cuts and bruises, but he needs to get warm and eat something."

"I'll see to it. Thank you."

She nodded and left them alone. Naruto wrapped the boy in his arms. The child looked up at him, his eyes big and afraid. He smiled reassuringly.

"Now, can you tell me your name?" he tried again. "It'll be much easier if you can, and I won't have to keep calling you boy all the time. And maybe then we can get you some food and some warmer clothes, eh?"

The child nodded. "My name's Kasumi."

"And how old are you, Kasumi?"

"Five."

"Do you have any parents?" he asked gently.

Kasumi buried his head in Naruto's chest and shook his head, refusing to say any more.

So this one was the orphan then. Naruto held him tighter as he breathed in the scent of his hair for a moment. Here was yet another child who had had his family ripped away from him by the war. Such unfairness made him angry and sad at the same time; he couldn't imagine how the child felt, or if he even understood what was happening.

Something about him made Naruto feel fiercely protective, and he knew that he couldn't just leave him in the care of anyone. His mind immediately turned to Iruka.

"I've got a friend who would like to meet you, Kasumi. He's very nice, and he used to look after me when I was young."

"Why?"

"Because I don't have any parents, just like you. Would you like to meet him?"

Kasumi looked uncertain, but he nodded none the less. Naruto picked him up and made sure the cloak was wrapped around him before he set out to find Iruka.

On his way out, he stopped before the spot where Sasuke sat, being examined by the medics.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't go anywhere."

Sasuke gave no sign of acknowledging what he said, so he left feeling annoyed.

He found Iruka taking a well earned rest in a quiet corner with a few other academy teachers. He looked up when Naruto approached and stood with a smile of relief.

"I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

Naruto nodded tiredly. "I'm okay."

"How many refugees are there?"

"Not as many as there should be."

Iruka sighed, and then looked at the Kasumi with a warm smile. "And who's this young man?"

"His name's Kasumi. He needs someone to look after him for a little bit. I know you're busy, but I thought…"

"I'd love to, Naruto. It's no problem."

"Kazumi, this is my friend Iruka. He's going to look after you for a little while, okay?"

Kazumi looked like he was going to cry again, and he buried his face in Naruto's neck, clutching him tightly.

"I won't be far away, and I'll come and see you as soon as I can, okay? I promise."

When the boy didn't say anything, Naruto continued to reassure him.

"He's really very nice. He'll get you anything you like to eat, and he'll make sure no one bothers you. You'll be very safe."

It took another few minutes of talking to convince the kid to go with Iruka, but in the end he did albeit reluctantly.

Naruto handed him over to Iruka, who smiled at the boy then looked up at Naruto once more, concern written on his face.

"You should get some rest Naruto-kun. You look tired."

"I will in a minute. Iruka…" Naruto began, biting his lip.

"Whatever it is, Naruto, you can tell me. I won't break."

"Kakashi's with the refugees."

Iruka's stilled, and tensed, joy and fear conflicting on his face. "And?" he asked breathlessly.

"He's badly hurt, but he's alive. I told him you were waiting for him. He'll be here soon."

Iruka closed his eyes and leant his head against Kazumi's for a moment. When he opened them, they were brimming with tears.

"Thank the gods" he whispered, his relief making him look younger and more vulnerable than he had for months. "He's really okay?"

Naruto smiled. "He will be when he sees you. He won't be able to fight for a long time, but I think he'll live."

Silent tears ran down Iruka's face, and he pulled Naruto into a one armed hug which Naruto returned willingly.

"Thank you. Thank you for telling me."

"It's no problem, Iruka. Now take care of the tyke for awhile, yeah? I need to go and wait for Tsunade."

Kazumi was half asleep on Iruka's shoulder, and Iruka held him carefully as he stepped back.

"I will, Naruto. And be careful."

Naruto waved a hand and walked away to find a quiet place to watch Sasuke and wait for Tsunade.

* * *

_He was back in that place again. The world that had been ripped apart by war. The Konoha that existed only as a reminder of what had been. _

_All that remained of the buildings were piles of rubble and crumbling walls. There were no signs of life, or of the people who had once been the heart of the village. _

_A cold wind moaned mournfully, sweeping across the barren wasteland. No trees stood, no grass grew, only burnt, scorched ground and shattered rocks lay beyond the remains of Konoha, stretching as far as the eye could see._

_He walked slowly down the road, small clouds of dust swirling around his feet as he moved. To one side, a pile of sun bleached bones. He turned away, not wanting to see such a horrible remainder of what had happened._

_Tthere was no sun. Above him the red and bloody clouds boiled, angry and violent. Thunder rumbled, shaking the earth, displaying the earth's fury and sorrow for all to see._

_But he was the only one left…_

_There were no tears this time. Only a sense of mourning so deep it ate at his soul, and left him empty. Tears would not express the sorrow that he felt._

_He scrambled on top of a pile of rubble, stumbling on a piece of rusty rubble and cutting his leg open. He hissed at the pain and crouched down to cover the wound with his hands, trying to stop the bleeding. _

_Hot blood splashed over his hands, and he stared at it in morbid fascination, wondering what horrors had been witnessed at the place he had once called home. The place he had sworn to protect with his life._

_So why was he still here?_

_Something made him raise his head, and he found himself staring at the little girl who had died in that fierce battle in the forest. _

_She stood there and stared back at him, one thumb in her mouth and a doll clutched in the other arm._

_How old had she been? Too young to die that was sure._

_And he had been the one to kill her._

"_I'm sorry," he whispered to her, knowing that she couldn't here him. "I'm sorry…"_

"_There's nothing to be sorry for," A new voice said._

_The girl disappeared and was replaced by the form of Sasuke. "You only did what was in your nature. You can't help who you are."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about."_

"_I think you do, Naruto. The demon in you cries out for blood. You can do nothing but answer the call. Am I right?"_

"_No. You're wrong" he whispered. "It's not like that. I didn't mean to hurt her. It was an accident."_

"_Of course you did. That's just what they told themselves. They wanted to remain blind, deaf and dumb to your true nature. So they made up pathetic lies like that. But I know the truth. I see the blood lust in your eyes. You can't deny it. It's a part of you." _

"_No. No, you're wrong." Naruto insisted, fighting down his blind panic. "It's not true. You're a liar."_

"_Am I really?"_

_Sasuke disappeared, and reappeared in the blink of an eye, crouching behind him with his chest pressed to Naruto's back._

_Warm arms wrapped around him, his hands covering Naruto's as they cupped his bloody wound._

"_Am I the liar? Or are you just lying to yourself?" the silky whisper in his ear made him shiver. _

_He was burning, his body calling for more of Sasuke. _

_He wanted nothing more than to run, but his limbs wouldn't obey- he was trapped within whatever enchantment Sasuke had cast on him. Naruto was a slave to his enemy's desires, and there was nothing he could do to escape._

_Sasuke lifted one of Naruto's blood covered hands and licked it slowly, making him groan when he felt that hot tongue winding slowly around his fingers._

"_Do you deny that this turns you on? You are just as corrupt as I am. So stop fighting and accept who you are."_

"_No...I'm not like that. I can't be like you…It's a lie…this isn't real…"_

_He wrapped his arms around himself and began to rock back and forth as a cold wind tugged at his clothes and chilled him to the bone._

_He was alone again…_

_

* * *

_

"Naruto, wake up!" A voice commanded sharply.

He shot up, shaking off the remanets of the horrible dream as he became aware of his surroundings.

His eyes zeroed in one Tsunade's serious face as it looked calmly back at him.

"Tsunade?" he croaked.

His throat was sore and his head pounded as if he was running a fever. He slumped back against the wall he'd been resting against and pulled the blankets back around his shivering body.

"Hmmm." She nodded grimly, reaching out a hand to check his temperature.

"I feel like crap."

"Not enough sleep. You're exhausted. If I didn't need you so badly I'd order that you rest for a few days."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone, I know." He murmured, lowering his eyes contritely.

Tsunade sighed and sat down facing him, and rubbing her forehead with one finger.

"I'm not going to punish you. Not this time at least. You did the right thing, as much as I hate to admit it. Although you shouldn't have gone after those children the way you did. You should have waited for Jiraiya," she said as she glared at him.

"How's Gaara?" Naruto asked, remembering suddenly. "He is okay, isn't he? And Neji?"

"They got back an hour ago. Neji is fine, he's got a nasty gash on his arm, but he's fine."

"And Gaara?"

Tsunade hesitated, seemingly unsure how to tell him whatever bad news she had.

"Just tell me, Tsunade! I'm not a child!" he snapped.

"I know that Naruto," she sighed. "He was hit with a poisoned dart…"

"And? Shouldn't Shukaku be taking care of that?"

"That's the thing. He _should _be, but he isn't. And we don't know why."

He had never seen Tsunade look so tired or old, despite her glamour, and it scared him more than anything had so far.

"What sort of poison is it?"

"We don't know. We've never seen anything like it before."

"Which means you don't have an antidote, correct?" he asked, a heavy weight sinking in his stomach.

Poor Neji…

"Exactly. But we're working on it as fast as we can."

They sat in silence, Naruto struggling to come to terms with what he had just learnt, and Tsunade…well, he wasn't sure what she was thinking, but it didn't matter much to him at then.

"Did the refugees get here safely?" he asked eventually.

"Yeah. There were no more attacks. The only problem we have now is space. And food. And medical supplies, but I think you get the point."

"I do." There was another silence. "I'm sorry about the little girl. Did someone tell her parents?"

"I did." Tsunade was watching him now, and he looked down, rolling the edge of his blanket between his fingers.

"It wasn't your fault you know. It was an accident. A terrible accident and nothing more. You shouldn't blame yourself."

Naruto smiled bitterly at her. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't?"

"You can't prevent every death, Naruto, This is war. People are going to die. It's inevitable."

"But that doesn't mean we should stop trying to save them!" he said angrily. "It doesn't mean we should just give up!"

"Of course it doesn't. But you can't hope to save every life, and you can't blame yourself for every person that dies," Tsuande said evenly.

Her calmness only served to fuel his anger though.

"She was a child, Tsunade! She shouldn't have died! I should have done more to protect her!"

"I'm not going to argue about this Naruto. One day, you'll have to learn to accept what I'm saying. And I hope that it's sooner rather than later, because you can't continue on like you have been."

Naruto's anger disappeared, and he sat there tiredly. Arguing about this was pointless- it would get them no where and it would solve nothing, he knew. So he let it drop with nothing more than a sigh.

"Where's Sasuke?"

"He left the caves awhile ago, I'm told. Do you feel up to finding him?"

"I think I can do that. And I won't go out of Konoha, even if he has," Naruto reassured her before she said anything.

She smiled, a real smile this time. "Good. I'll see you soon. I have to go and debrief some of the scout parties. Won't that be fun?"

Naruto smiled as she left, and stood up.

His muscles protested and his head pounded with a painful headache, but he pushed his discomforts aside and made his way above ground.

For a moment he breathed in the cool evening air, and wrapped his arms around his body as the cold wind made him shiver. The clouds were departing now, and revealing a blood red and purple sunset.

_An unlucky sunset, _he thought to himself.

He sighed and looked around, wondering where the hell Sasuke had taken himself to. There was no point in delaying his task. Shivering once more, he closed his eyes as extended his chakra, following the link they shared between them to where Sasuke was.

He was still in Konoha then.

_But what was he doing there?_

_

* * *

_

_Edo Tensei- Resurrection to the Impure World: _Orochimaru used this technique to bring back the first and second Hokage's while he was fighting the third. This is a forbidden technique as it brings back the souls from the after life to the real world. This is done through the sacrifice of a living body to provide a vessel for the soul to inhabit.

_Hakke Hyakunijuuhachishou- Eight Divination Signs, 128 palms of the hand :_

Taijutsu technique used by the Hyuuga clan, passed down through the main or head family. When an opponent is within the divination range, the clan member can use the Byakugan to make nearly double the normal amount of strikes. Neji uses this technique when they're pursuing Sasuke and that freaky spider dude after the chuunin exams.

_Kasumi:_ is a Japanese name which means 'mist'

This chapter turned out nothing like the original one I'd written, but it still fits in nicely with the storyline, and I like it better than the first one anyway.

I know, I know, the fight scene was crap, but it was the first I've ever written, so give a girl a break, hey? ;)

And I think I might give you a few tasters for the next chapter…just to keep you interested!

Sasuke and Naruto have a big fight (finally!) and end up doing something….naughty, shall we say…and then…well, I can't remember what happens after that, but it's interesting I promise!

Anyways, thanks to all those who reviewed, and thanks to all those anonymous reviewers too! Appreciate the feed back, I do!

ALL feedback welcome! Thanks for reading, and i'll try to update soon!

Ja Ne!


	23. These Broken Wings

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters and concepts of Naruto- they belong to their rightful owners.

**Warnings: **Angst, sex and swearing. Yaoi, so if you don't like, don't read it, simple enough.

* * *

Chapter 22: _These Broken Wings  
_

The last place Naruto expected to find Sasuke was at the Uchiha Compound. All the time he had know Sasuke, he'd always gotten the impression that he loathed the place, and he had never once scorned him for it. After all, who would want to return to the place where their family had been ruthlessly slaughtered? Where all the security and familiarity and comfort you had ever known had been cruelly stripped away? Where everything he'd known had been lost to him forever.

Naruto had understood. He'd understood what it was like to return to a place where all your demons and insecurities lurked. It was also what made him understand, to a degree, how Sasuke had acted, and how he still acted.

While he may never have had a family of his own, Sasuke had had one. He'd had people who'd loved him, and he'd lost every single one of them, including Itachi. Naruto knew that that was a lot worse than not ever having a family.

But still, that didn't help to diminish his anger at the man, or to banish the pain he felt. And while it seemed childish to many holding onto the past the way he did, sometimes it wasn't easy to let something go, especially something you had cherished as he had Sasuke. It was all very well to say that forgetting the past and looking towards the future was the best way to live, but some wounds didn't ever heal. Ever since he had first joined team seven, Sasuke had always been apart of his vision for the future. And having that vision stripped away had been brutal. Since then, he had been living in a state of shock, and confusion. He hadn't been able to rebuild the vision, or create a new one without Sasuke in it. That was why he had tried so hard to bring Sasuke back. And after realizing that he wouldn't ever return with him, he had slowly let the vision fade, and he had given up.

He was tired of having to deal with Sasuke. Sasule made him feel old, and transparent. Sasuke made him relive all of his regrets, and his old fears, and it wasn't something that he could deal with every day. It needed to stop.

A strange, unsettling calm came over Naruto as he approached the gates to the Uchiha's land.

Beyond the open gates, the proud buildings which had once stood tall against the sky now sagged dismally, and had fallen into horrible disrepair. No one ever set foot in the Uchiha compound. It had become a place or gruesome legend, a haunted place where the ghosts of the past still lurked.

As he walked the rutted and worn streets, Naruto felt as if he had stepped into some surreal disjointed dreamland. It almost hurt him to think about the life Sasuke had once led on the same streets that he now walked.

Eventually, everything vanished. Nothing could last forever, he knew that. He knew that perhaps better than others, but that didn't make it easier to accept.

_'We are like leaves on the wind',_ he thoughts as he took in the sad state of an empty shop. _'We only dance for a short time before we disappear. What does that mean really? Where is the relevance of our entire existence? Pathetic..._

Predictably, he ended up outside Sasuke's house. The traditional Japanese house, the likes of which he had never seen before, was in better shape than the rest of the Uchiha compound, but still rundown.

Naruto stopped at the front steps and looked up at the daunting house, which remained deathly silent and eerie. Normally he wouldn't intrude on such a place, but he had a responsibility, and he would never abandon it, or the ones he had to the safety of Konoha. No matter what he may think, Sasuke was still a potential threat to Konoha, as much as it pained him to admit it. He couldn't just let him go off wherever he liked.

Steeling himself, he went up the stairs and stepped through the open front doors into the entrance hall.

His breath was too loud to his own ears as he wandered about in search of Sasuke. All the furniture was where it had once been. Gathering dust and beginning to fall apart as time and neglect took their toll . There were leaks in the roof, and holes where in the floorboards where they had started to rot.

Sasuke was close, he could feel him. Carefully avoiding creaking floorboards, and moving silently out of habit, Naruto stopped in an open doorway.

Sasuke was there, standing perfectly still with his eyes fixed on a single spot, where the wood was darker than that of the rest of the room.

The moonlight fell through the window, framing the outlines and making them almost glow in the white light.

Sasuke was encased in shadows, and if he knew that Naruto was there, he showed no sign if acknowledging his presence.

Some part of Naruto told him not to disturb Sasuke, because he knew, with a frightening clarity, that this was where it had happened. This was where Sasuke had first laid eyes on the bodies of his parents. Where he had realized who, exactly, had killed them.

So he waited, silent and patient for Sasuke to make a move. What he really wanted though, was for Sasuke to do something, for him to acknowledge his own pain for once instead of acting as if he didn't care, as if it had never happened. From the way he acted all the time, anyone would have thought that he was just a spectator, watching what had happened from some distant seat. Naruto wanted Sasuke to cry, or to scream out his rage and sorrow. Or to yell at Naruto and beat him senseless, as if he were the one responsible for what had happened. He didn't really care. What he wanted was a reaction, _anything,_ from Sasuke.

After what seemed like hours, Sasuke turned so that he was half facing Naruto. His black eyes glittered strangely in the shadows, and if Naruto had been someone else, he'd probably have backed away. As it was, he stood his ground and met Sasuke's gaze evenly, lifting his chin stubbornly, another habit that he'd somehow developed without noticing.

"What are you doing here?"

Sasuke's voice was low and rough, almost raw with some unidentifiable emotion whoch Naruto would have loved to put a name to but couldn't.

"I had to come," he replied, relieved when his voice emerged steady. For once, he wasn't wavering or faltering, or doubting himself as he stood before Sasuke. He wanted this. Whatever confrontation was coming, violent or otherwise, he wanted it. He wanted some closure at last.

"Just like that time." Sasuke probably hadn't meant to say that, but the words hung between them, almost visible in their poignancy. Naruto held his breath for a moment, then released it, almost afraid of what was coming, but welcoming it nevertheless. It was the first time either of them had mention what had happened in the past, or more significantly, what had happened at the Valley of the End.

"Yes," Naruto said softly.

"Why?" There was no mistaking the anger in Sasuke's voice. "Why must you always follow? Why do you bother?"

It was perhaps the hardest question Sasuke could have asked, for Naruto didn't truly know the answer to that himself. What was it that made him chase after Sasuke so? What made it so important that he did? There was no way he could answer that question truthfully without telling him how he felt.

"Because a long time ago you meant something to me." It was the only way he could answer. The fact that he still meant something to Naruto was irrelevant.

"I already have enough ghosts haunting me. I don't need you to as well," Sasuke said bitterly.

Naruto didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. Sasuke had always seen things oddly. He saw things from a perspective that he could never hope to see, and while it was fascinating, it was also incredibly frustrating. Half of the time, he didn't understand a word that Sasuke said, because he was always speaking in riddles and rhymes which Naruto could never comprehend.

"You're just another ghost," Sasuke said looking away

"What does that mean?" Naruto asked sharply, not liking the subtly accusing tone Sasuke's voice had taken.

"You've changed," Sasuke said eventually, turning once again to look at him. "You're so different from how I imagined you'd be."

"We've both changed, Sasuke," Naruto replied resentfully.

"Why did you change then? I changed because I had to, but you...what's your excuse?"

"Excuses? Why would i need an excuse to change? I'm not like you, Sasuke. You can't stop change. You can't fight it. It just happens."

"So you're saying you didn't have a choice? That you changed because you had to?" Sasuke asked acidly.

Naruto glared at him, getting angry and defensive despite himself.

"Of course I didn't have a choice" he managed to say evenly.

"That's bullshit!" Sasuke snapped unexpectedly.

"It's not!" Naruto retorted. "Look at yourself before you start accusing me! You weren't always like you are now! Maybe you should try to remember that every once in awhile."

"Don't speak as if you know me," Sasule said in a dangerous voice. "You don't know anything! Not a thing!"

"I thought I did once."

"Things are different now, Naruto," Sasuke said darkly as he turned away. "What the hell would you know anyway?"

That old contempt was back again, and Naruto realized then just how much he hated it. He felt that old anger rear it's ugly head and he fought to control his temper and to keep his voice steady. Getting angry wouldn't make Sasuke understand. It had never worked in the past and it still wouldn't.

"I know more than you think I do," he said once he'd gotten control over his emotions again.

"Like what?" Sasuke sneered. "Like how you know what it's like to be alone? How you know what true solitude is? Spare me the sentimental bullshit, Naruto! You don't know what it's like, and you never will!"

Sasuke was looking for a fight and he was aiming to hurt. But his words had the opposite effect on Naruto. Instead, they served to help calm him down even more. He was getting a reaction at last, and that was what mattered. Maybe Sasuke would finally admit that he was hurting, and that he couldn't turn a blind eye all the time. It was unlikely, and a small shot, but at least it gave him something to anchor on, instead of losing himself in the hurt and anger that Sasuke inflicted.

"And why is that, Sasuke?" he asked, watching Sasuke closely. He may have been calm, but he was on the verge of tears. For once, he didn't care if Sasuke saw him cry. Maybe that was what Sasuke needed. To see him cry, to see him hurt and in pain. If it didn't help lower Sasuke's barricades, then at least he'd get some satisfaction out of seeing how weak Naruto could be at times.

"Because I had a family. A family who I loved and who loved me back, and I lost them! You've never had that, so how can you miss something you never had to begin with?" Sasuke said, reverting back to his cold, emotionless facade. Hot tears spilled down Naruto's face. Tears spilt not only for himself but for Sasuke as well. Maybe he didn't know what it was like, but he could imagine how it felt to lose something precious. He _had _lost something precious, a long time ago.

"Maybe I didn't have a blood related family, but I found my own family. You could've had that too, if only you'd seen it," Naruto said quietly. "Being lonely isn't just about that. Being lonely is also knowing that no one wants you. That every face that looks upon you holds nothing but loathing."

He moved closer to Sasuke, who watched him with a disdainful look on his face.

"Ah yes. Poor Naruto, the demon fox. Life is so damn hard," Sasuke mocked sardonically.

"I may not know anything about you, Sasuke but don't presume to know everything about me."

They had reached a momentary impasse it seemed, for neither of them said anything for several minutes. and Naruto took the time to compose his emotions. He felt like he was on the verge of revealing everything all at once, and he couldn't do that. He couldn't give Sasuke anything that he could use to rip him apart. Not if he wanted to get away from this confrontation unbroken.

"Why are you crying?"

The question caught Naruto off guard for a moment. It wasn't something he'd ever imagined Sasuke caring about enough to ask. He stepped closer, and Sasuke stayed where he was, watching him suspiciously.

"I lost someone who was very dear to me once too," he whispered, around his tight throat. "I thought I had found someone like me. Someone who understood. But I was wrong. So many people loved him, would have given anything for him, including me. But he threw it all away. He became blinded by his petty thirst for revenge. He lowered himself just to gain a foothold in the world. He could have been great, and he threw it all away in the blink of an eye. Because he was a coward, who wanted a fast way to become strong. Who was too scared to work hard for his strength."

Sasuke didn't bat an eye, not even when Naruto called him a coward, and that was what made Naruto more furious than anything ever before.

"You fucking bastard!" he spat, as he slammed his fist into Sasuke's face. The taller man staggered backwards, holding his jaw. Naruto had no doubts that he could have dodged it if he'd wanted to, but he hadn't, and he didn't care enough to question why.

He stood there, with his fists clenched so hard that he shook, and his breath came in great heaves. Never could he remember being so angry before, and yet he couldn't bring himself to hit Sasuke again.

"If this person was such a despicable coward, then why did you chase after him for so many years?" Sasuke asked, still nursing his jaw.

"Because you were my best friend. Maybe I'm the pathetic one here. Because I still love you, after all these years. I didn't realize until it was too late, and then I couldn't stop. I can't stop. I tried to, for so long, but no matter what I did, nothing changed. It's always been you, Sasuke," he said, his voice hoarse.

Sasuke said nothing. Just watched him impassively, and that made him hurt much worse than he ever had. There he was, pouring out his heart, and nothing he said made any difference.

He snorted quietly. "Not that it matters now anyway. In a few days time, this will all be done. You can kill your brother and go back to Orochimaru. I don't want to see your face again after that."

Naruto would have turned and walked away, had Sasuke not appeared in front of him with lightning speed and grasped his arms painfully tighty.

"Why...I hate it when you look at me like that," Sasuke hissed vehemently.

"Like what?" Naruto whispered, afraid despite himself. His heart was pounding. Sasuke was so close...

"I hate them. Your eyes. They've followed me all these years. They never let me rest." Sasuke said hoarsely. "I hate you."

"I know you do," Naruto whispered, closing his eyes.

Sasuke's breath was warm on his face, like sweet poison, and he wanted nothing more than to breath him in, deep inside and hold him there, safe and protected for all time. It was impossible for them though. Nothing had ever worked between them, and nothing ever would. It would only ever be one disaster after another.

Naruto was trembling uncontrollably. Sasuke was too close. He didn't want Sasuke to touch him, yet he craved it more than anything. His entire body ached and throbbed, and called for Sasuke, and there was no way he could ever fight it.

"God, Naruto...you..." Sasuke was struggling for coherency, his eyes were two distressed pools of darkness, his skin paler than usual, bleached by the moonlight, and his strong hands shook ever so slightly as he raised them to cup Naruto's face.

"Sometimes I hate you so much, and sometimes..."

Naruto closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow, feeling too hot and freezing cold at the same time. He couldn't stop trembling, and he opened his eyes to meet Sasuke's once more, revealing in the feeling of Sasuke's hands touching his face.

Sasuke groaned, deep within his chest, and then his lips descended swiftly to cover Naruto's.

It was when Sasuke pulled him closer, so their bodies were moulded together perfectly that Naruto lost all sense of reality. The reins of control slipped from his fingers, and he melted against the taller man, unable to even think about struggling. God he wanted this...

Sasuke's lips were like silk against his own slightly chapped ones, and it was clear who was in control. Sasuke didn't ask for entrance. Before he knew it, Sasuke was kissing him deeply, rough and gentle at the same time. Naruto was drowning in the taste and smell of Sasuke. Like magic, like darkness and moonlight and mystery. Like the joy and sadness of every dream he'd ever possessed rolled into one intense package.

He was kissing the enemy, and he loved every second of it. His arms had slid around Sasuke, who was gripping his hair almost painfully. Hot thrills of pleasure were rolling through his body, and Naruto knew that he could never have enough of this, of Sasuke. His desire was like thick honey in his veins, which kept coming in endless waves, and the source of the waves was Sasuke's mouth, hot and wet and delicious as he stroked Naruto into a helpless pool of desire with his tongue alone.

Sasuke pulled back a little, dragging Naruto's lower lip through his teeth.

"I don't want to do this here," he muttered, before pulling away and walking out of the room.

Confused and dazed, and still shaking from the magnitude of what had just happened, Naruto stood where he was, swaying for a moment as he tried to take it all in. It was as if he had been hit with a sledge hammer. Sasuke had kissed him. Sasuke wanted more of him. It left a knot of nervous tension in his stomach and it made him feel slightly sick. There would be consequences if he continued along this new path with Sasuke. So many people would be angry and disappointed with him if he did, and he couldn't stand it if that happened. Neji, Iruka, Kakashi, Sakura, Gaara...well maybe not Gaara, because Gaara understood better than anyone else. But if he didn't, then he would regret it forever, and he knew that he didn't need any more regrets in his life. And he wanted this more than anything. He needed Sasuke, and he needed to know that Sasuke needed him as well.

If he let this chance pass him now, then there would be no going back. Sasuke probably wouldn't give him another opportunity like this one.

So somehow, he managed to force his lethargic body to follow Sasuke out side, into another dust covered and dark room. Still, Sasuke didn't stop. Not until they were standing in a small overgrown and wild courtyard, with the bright moon shining down on them both. Sasuke had turned to him, and for a few long moments, they just looked at each other. Seeing Sasuke at that moment helped Naruto make up his mind. Seeing the pale moonlight wash over Sasuke, with those dark eyes of his staring at him, with those perfect lips and that beautiful, glossy hair, it was the vision that Naruto had held to his heart for countless years. Never had Sasuke presented such a daunting and imposing figure as he did then, but Naruto wasn't intimidated in the least. This was what he wanted. Sasuke.

He found himself moving towards him without conscious thought, reaching up to take that bewitching face between his hands, and pulling Sasuke's mouth down to his. Sasuke didn't resist in the slightest. He responded to every lap of his tongue, every stroke, and Naruto was lost in the exquisiteness of the moment.

What came next was almost a blur to Naruto. All he remembered was Sasuke touching him, Sasuke kissing him, Sasuke inside of him. Although his memory might have failed him, his body didn't. His skin remembered everything. Everything Sasuke did was imprinted instinctively into every fibre of his being. His body responded of its own accord to everything he did. There was no time to wonder how Sasuke had become so skilled as a lover, nor where he got the experience from, because Sasuke was everywhere at once.

Naruto rose up to meet Sasuke when the Uchiha pressed him down into the long grass with his body. He met every kiss with one of his own. His fingers memorized every rise and fall of the planes of Sauske's shoulders and back, the curve of his buttocks. His legs instinctively wrapped around Sasuke to press him deeper inside of him, to get more and more until he felt he was going to burst.

Sasuke brought him to the brink and pushed him over, only to follow soon after and it was then that Naruto knew- if there was heaven to be found it was in Sasuke's arms.

Naruto was lying on top of Sasuke, skin to skin. He rested within the circle of Sauske arms, and Sasuke held him motionlessly. He listened to the steady beating of his heart under his ear. He was sated, and yet plagued by thoughts and doubts now that the afterglow had worn off.

Neither of them said anything as they lay together, naked in the overgrown grass, surrounded by their clothing scattered carelessly around them. He had never felt so distant, nor so burdened by desires and weaknesses as he lay there with Sasuke. He had all he had been yearning for, and yet, everything was so different from how he'd imagined it would be, and reality was doggedly calling him, pulling him from his isolation.

What was going to happen to them? If they survived the next few days, would Sasuke return to Orochimaru? And would he remain trapped within the endless cycles of life in Konoha, alone all over again?

There was no point in deluding himself. Sasuke would not stay. There was no way he would change who he was, no matter the consequences to Naruto. No matter what he said or did, it would make no difference to Sasuke. So was there any point in hiding anything from him anymore?

"Sasuke..."

There were so many things that he wanted to say, so many things that he wanted to tell him that he had no idea where to start. He struggled for a moment, then sighed and remained silent.

"Whatever it is, just say it, Naruto."

There was impatience in that voice, and it stung Naruto to hear it.

FoR a moment he didn't reply, getting lost in his head once more, as he turned over his thoughts and tried to decide where to start. Sasuke probably wouldn't care, or even listen to anything he had to say, so it didn't really matter did it?

"I have nightmares, you know. I don't sleep that much anymore," he murmured thoughtfully, not really thinking about what he was saying, and not caring. Sasuke already knew him more intimately than anyone else did, so what did it matter?

Sasuke said nothing, so he continued anyway. What did it matter if he wasn't listening?

"At first then were only about death. Everyone was dying because of me. Because of what I am." Naruto licked his lips slowly tasting the faint hint of Sasuke and savouring it. "They say all sorts of things, call me things, and there's nothing I can say to contradict them. Because it's true isn't it? I am a demon, because the kyuubi is a part of who I am. I can't change that, no matter how much I'd like to."

"What are you trying to say?" Sasuke asked indifferently.

"Then I would see you. You would congratulate me on a job well done," he said in a voice laden with bitter sarcasm, ignoring Sasuke. "You would touch me, kiss me, and you were so cold. You numbed everything I felt and did. They got so bad that I couldn't sleep more than a few hours a night."

Naruto didn't know why he was saying it, pouring his heart out. The words were just flowing out of him now, and he couldn't be bothered to try and stop. He didn't care if Sasuke thought he was pathetic, he just wanted him to know. He wasn't sure why, but he was too tired to question anymore.

"I used to think that it was the Akatsuki sending the nightmares to me, to weaken me somehow. That's absurd isn't it?"

He traced patterns on Sasuke chest beneath his hand absentmindedly. The skin was so pale, and soft beneath his own hand. Naruto loved the muscles under the smooth skin. So strong...sometimes he thought that the only things holding Sasuke together were his skin and his hatred for Itachi.

"I haven't slept properly for seven years, you know that? I'm so tired that half the time I feel like lying down in the gutter and sleeping." Naruto paused again for a moment.

"I hate what this place has done to me, Sasuke," he whispered, his throat tightening and his chest hurting. Sasuke's arms tightened around him slightly, and the silence over took them. Naruto was too exhausted, both physically and emotionally to speak anymore, so he just lay on Sasuke, limp and weak and not feeling the nights chill on his skin.

"Why did you come here tonight Sasuke?" Naruto asked an hour later in a husky whisper. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he needed to. For awhile he thought that Sasuke wasn't going to answer him and he couldn't quite summon the energy to feel disappointed.

"I came here to remind myself of my goals."

"To remind yourself that you have to kill Itachi?"

Sasuke's arms tightened around him again, and his muscles tensed beneath him, but Sasuke didn't bother to answer that question. It had been a stupid one anyway, and rather pointless because they both knew the answer.

"They could take me, you know. They could kill me," Naruto said, quietly. He felt no fear at the thought, nor pain, because he honestly didn't think that anything could hurt. He'd experienced all the kinds of pain there was in the world, so there was nothing for him to be afraid of.

"I don't understand you Naruto."

"And I don't understand you either. It doesn't change the fact that I love you."

"Don't say that Naruto," Sasuke said forcefully, angrily, as he rolled Naruto out of his arms and stood up. "We should be getting back. They'll be wondering where you are."

Naruto didn't say anything as he pulled his damp clothes on. So, Sasuke didn't love him. For once, he wasn't surprised. Although he'd always known that somewhere deep in his heart, it still hurt him more than anything.

Sometime soon, it would truly hit him, he knew. But at that moment he was still trying to make sense of what had happened between them. It had been magical, the thing of dreams, and filled with all the passion that they held within their souls. But it had been loveless, at least on Sasuke's side.

Sasuke had been unaware that it had been Naruto's first time. He'd never had sex, or made love with anyone before, because he'd found that he hadn't been able to trust anyone enough. Because he hadn't been able to stand anyone else touching him.

It was a silent trip back to the caves. Sasuke didn't spare Naruto a single glance, nor did he say anything. Naruto's body ached, in a strangely pleasant way, and if it wasn't for that ache down there, then he might have thought that it had been a dream.

* * *

YAY! Finally, an update! I bet you're all pleased, right? I had quite a few people PM me to kick me into action with this update, and for that, i thank them! I've been so caught up in my other story Possession that i had completely forgotten all about this one! I hope you can forgive me, and that this chapter was worth the wait. It was insanely difficult to write, and it still turn out craply. For those of you who are wondering, and are disappointed/annoyed, if you were looking for more detail in the 'sex' don't worry. There are scenes later on that are more graphic. So anyone who bugs me about that, watch out! winks

Hope you enjoyed this extremely late update, and thanks for reading! Love you all!

That little button there, on the left hand side of the screen? Press it! Leave a review! you know you want to!

Ja Ne!


	24. Author's Note

Hey all!

I feel I must appologise for my laziness and lack of motivation when it comes to this particular story. I will finish re-reading it before I post another chapter. Expect an update within the next month, peoples!

Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you will continue to have faith in me!!!

Sorry for the extra long delay!


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